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DICTIONARY 



OF THE MOST IMPORTANT 



fAMES, OBJECTS, AND TERMS, 



INTENDED PRINCIPALLY FOR SUNDAY" SCHOOL TEACHERS 
AND BIBLE CLASSES. 



POUND IN THE 



HOLY SCRIPTUKES. 



HOWARD MALCOM, D.D. 

©tie ^uutrteat!) ©frousantr. 

ILLUSTRATED BY NUMEROUS ENGRAVINGS. 

BOSTON: 

GOULD, KENDALL AND LINCOLN, 

59 WASHINGTON STREET. 

1848. 



-p 






Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1833. by 

Lincoln, Edmands, & Co. 
In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of Massachusetts. 



&vyulu.1$^k*' 






PREFACE. 



PRODUCTIONS that are the result of labor, more than of 
genius, lie under two great disadvantages: — the pleasure of com- 
posing is Incomparably less, and the composition itself is held in 
far less estimation. The author's motive in undertaking the 
diudgery of preparing this volume was, that such a work seemed 
to him not only eminently needed for youth, but almost indispen 
sable; while nothing of the kind existed within his knowledge 
It was chiefly prepared at small intervals of leisure, while travel- 
ling as General Agent of the American Sunday School Union, and 
has now been retained nearly three years, in the hope that some 
more perfect work of the kind would appear. During this time, it 
has been kept at hand for the purpose of inserting whatever seem- 
ed appropriate in the current religious periodicals, missionary re- 
ports, Sec. The chief sources of aid, however, have been the 
works of Calmet, Whitby, Wells, Carpenter, Brown, Wood, Pax- 
ton, and Harmer. Extracts have in some instances been taken, as 
well as facts or thoughts; but references seemed unnecessary 

In most Dictionaries of the Bible, a large proportion of the mat- 
ter consists of Scripture narrative, digested under heads, or verbal 
definitions. It is believed that the reading of the Bible itself is now 
so general among the classes of persons for whom this book is in- 
tended, as to make that plan undesirable in this instance. The 
object here is, in reference to Scripture names, to throw light on 
the sacred page, rather than to borrow it from thence. While, there- 
fore, a great number of persons and places, of which nothing is 
known, except from Scripture, is omitted, more Scripture illustra- 
tion, adapted to youth, will, it is hoped, be found here than in any 
one of the larger works above named. In regard to doctrinal 
terms, &x. the usual course was necessarily pursued. As some of 
the articles may seem hardly comprehensible to children, it is 
proper to remark, that the work was intentionally graduated to the 
common level of Sabbath school teachers; who, it is hoped, will 
find it a convenient and useful manual. Only by bringing the 
book to this standard, could it be made itself a teacher, which 
was the great object. It was hoped by this plan to make it useful 
to parents, also, in answering the numerous questions of intelligent 
children who read the Bible. 

It is now issued to serve a necessity; and if the "Father of 
lights" do but make it useful in the dissemination of heavenly 
tiuth, the desires of the Author will be fully realized. 



ADVERTISER! EN T 

TO THE FIFTH EDITION. 



THE interval which has elapsed since the first publication oi 
this work, has been diligently improved to render it more worthy 
of its favorable reception by the public. In addition to the works 
named in the Preface, Home's Introduction, Robinson's Greek 
Lexicon, Harris's Natural History, Jones's Biblical Cyclopaedia, 
Jahn's Archaeology, Ingraham's Geographical Index, the Mission- 
ary Herald, Parish's Bible Gazetteer, Rees's Cyclopaedia, and oth- 
er sources, have been resorted to with diligence. Important aid 
has also been derived from various reviews and notices of the suc- 
cessive editions, and still more from learned friends, who have 
privately communicated their remarks. 

As this work, at its first publication, was the only help of the 
kind ever printed, the Author considered it a duty to make it neu- 
tral as to those points which distinguish his sect from the great 
body of orthodox Christians. Since that time, similar Dictiona- 
ries have been published, and are circulated extensively. It seem- 
ed proper, therefore, not only to the Author, but to many distin- 
guished brethren, who kindly offered their opinion, that this work 
should now be made to speak more fully our sentiments. The re- 
quisite alterations and additions have accordingly been made. 

The references to Scripture have all been carefully examined, 
by which numerous typographical errors, derived from works 
which were consulted, have been discovered and rectified. While 
the references have by this means been made correct, care has 
been taken to make them sufficiently copious. These references 
are regarded as forming one of the most important features in the 
book. If parents would make it an occasional Sabbath evening's 
exercise to read a few articles, while each young person sat with a 
Bible, and turned to the text, great interest and light would be 
thrown over the quoted Scripture, as well as the article itself; and 
a pleasing opportunity would be thus afforded for the inculcation 
of religious truth. 

The labors of preparing this work, though unexpectedly ardu- 
ous, have been exceedingly useful to the Author as a biblical stu- 
dent j and the hope of their being useful to others has added 
pleasure to the task. The result of his toil is now commended to 
those whom it was intended to assist, in the belief that it will be 
found far more valuable than any similar help they can obtain. 



Damascus 




BIBLE DICTIONARY. 



DanL Noble. Johnson. 

A. 



ION, a prince of the 
family of Levi, born in Egypt, 
r ne } r ear before the edict for 
destroying Hebrew male chil- 
dren, and three years before 
Moses. By divine direction he 
was consecrated to the office 
of High Priest. After the 
schism of Korah, Numb. xvi. 
the Lord evidenced his ap- 
pointment, by the miracle of 
the budding rod and other 
signs. He died in Mount Hor 
40 years after coming out of 
Egypt, i. e. a.m. 2552, aged 
123 years, and was succeeded 
by his son Eleazar. See 
Priesthood. 

ABADDON, literally The 
Destroyer , is " the angel of the 
bottomless pit, whose name 
in Hebrew is Abaddon, but 
in Greek, Apollyon." Rev. 
ix. 1 .. Writers on the proph- 
ecies greatly differ in their 
interpretation of the above 
text. Some would apply the 
name exclusively to Satan. 
Others regard it as being also 
applied to Mahomet, and to 
the Pope of Rome. 

AB'ANA and Pharpar, 
two rivers of Syria, which 
Naaman the leper thought 



" better than all the waters of 
Israel." Abana is probably 
the Barraddy, which rises in 
Lebanon, and runs towards 
the south. Perhaps the Phar- 
par is the same with the 
Orontes, which, rising a little 
to the north-east of Damas- 
cus, passes Antioch, and, after 
a course of 200 miles to the 
north-west, loses itself in the 
Mediterranean Sea. 2 Kings 
v. 12. 

AB'BA, a Syriac word,sig- 
nifying a beloved father. The 
word is used by our Lord in 
his agony, Mark xiv. 36, and 
by Paul, when he recounts to 
the believers of Rome and 
Galatia, their glorious priv- 
ileges 3 foremost of which he 
places " the spirit of adop- 
tion, by which we cry, Abba, 
Father." Rom. viii. 15. Gal. 
iv. 6. We thus perceive, 
both in the term itself, and 
the manner of using it, how 
endearing and consoling is 
the access to God, which the 
Christian enjoys. 

ABEL, literally inanity, tho 
second son of Eve. The story 
of his life isbettertold in Scrip- 
ture than we can do here. The 



ABE 



8 



ABI 



reason why his offering was 
accepted rather than Cain's is 
explained, Heb. xi. 4, where 
it is said to have been because 
Abel held faith, that is, had 
respect to the Messiah to come 
and to the divine appoint- 
ment. It is said that being 1 
dead he yet speaketh, i. e. 
his example and sufferings are 
a lesson to us. 

ABEL, otherwise called 
the field of Joshua, was near 
Bethshemesh, and was prob- 
ably so called from the mourn- 
ing of the Hebrews for those 
who were struck dead for 
looking into the ark. 1 Sam. 
vi. 18, 19. 

ABEL-MAIM, or Aeel- 
beth-Maacha, acity in the 
north of the canton of Naph- 
tali, where Sheba was be- 
headed. 2 Sam. xx. 14. Eigh- 
ty years after, it was ravaged 
by Benhadnd. 1 Kings xv. 20. 
In the days of Christ, it was 
called Abila. 

ABEL-MIZRAIM, liter- 
ally the mourning of the Egyp- 
tians, so called from their 
lamentation over Joseph's 
corpse when they carried it 
to Machpelah. It is the same 
place which is called " the 
floor of Atad. ,; Gen. 1. 11. 

ABEL-MEHOLAH,acity 
west of Jordan, 10 miles 
south of Bethshan, in the tribe 
of Manasseh. 1 Kings iv. 12. 
It was the birth-place of Eli- 
sha. 1 Kings xix. 16. Near 
this city Gideon defeated the 
Midianites. 
ABEL-SHITTIM a town 



beyond Jordan, in the plain ol 
Moab. Here 24,000 Israel- 
ites were destroyed in one 
day for falling into the sins of 
Moab. Numb. xxv. It was 
probably the mourning for 
this event that gave the name 
of Abel to the spot. 

ABFA, second son 
Samuel, and brother to 
When the priests were.d&j£JJ|(L 
into twenty-four courses,' life 
8th was called after him 3 or, 
as some suppose, after Abijah, 
mentioned 1 Chron. xxiv. 10 
Luke i. 5. 

A'BIB, or NisAtf, the 
name of the first sacred, and 
seventh civil month of the 
Jewish year. It answered to 
our March and April. The 
word signifies ripe, fruit, and 
was given to this month, be- 
cause in the middle of it, the 
Jews generally began their 
harvest. On the 14th day of 
this month, the Passover was 
eaten. Their civil year com 
menced in September} and 
therefore their jubilees, and 
other civil matters, were reg- 
ulated in that way ; see Levit. 
xxv. 8, 9, 10. This change 
of beginning, as to the sacred 
year, took place at the re- 
demption of Israel from 
Egvpt. Ex. xii. 2. 

ABILE'NE, a small can- 
ton in Syria, between Leba- 
non and Antilibanus. It took 
its name from the city Abila, 
which probably was the same 
with Abel-Maim. Lysanias 
was governor here in the 15th 
year of Tiberius. Luke iii. 1. 



ABR 



9 



ACC 



ABIM'ELECH, the title 
of the kings of Philistia, as 
Ptolemy was of the kings 
of Egypt, and Cesar of the 
emperors of Rome. Gen. 
xxi. and xxxvi. It was also 
the name of a very wicked 
ruler in Israel, in the time of 
the Judges, Jud. ix. 5 and 
of a high priest in the time 
of David, 1 Chron. xviii. 16, 
who was the same as AJii- 
melech, 2 Sam. viii. 17, and 
probably the same as Abia- 
thar, 1 Sam. xxii. 20. 

ABOMINATION, a thing 
hateful. Sin is called an 
abomination, because detest- 
able to God and good beings. 
Various gross practices are 
so called. Wearing the dress 
of the opposite sex, Deut. 
xxii. 5. Lying, Prov. xii. 22. 
False weights, Isa. Ixvi. 3. 
False doctrines, Rev. xvii. 4. 
Idols, Deut. vii. 26. Proud 
persons, Prov. xvi. 5. The 
sacrifices, ways, and even 
thoughts, of the wicked, are 
an abomination to the Lord. 
Prov. xv. 8,9,26. And "he 
that turneth away his ear from 
hearing the law, even his 
prayer shall be an abomina- 
tion," because, in that case, 
evidently hypocritical, Prov. 
xxv'ii.9. In Dan. xii. 11, and 
Matt. xxiv. 15, the allusion is 
to the Roman armies, which, 
as heathen, were hateful to 
the Jews. 

ABRAHAM, a wandering 
shepherd of vast wealth and 
preeminent piety. He was 
born a. m. 2008, only two 



years after the death jf Noah, 
though there were nine gen- 
erations between them. Be- 
ing the progenitor of all the 
Jews, and the brightest ex- 
ample of justifying faith, he 
was called the " Father of 
the faithful." His name, 
which was originally Abram, 
or "high father," was chang- 
ed, when God promised him a. 
great posterity, into Abraham, 
or " father of a multitude." 
Gen. xvii. 4, 5. His history is 
one of deep interest, and is 
given in Genesis at great 
length. 

ABYSS', a word used in 
Scripture, sometimes to mean 
hell, and sometimes the 
depths of the ocean, and the 
waters which flow under the 
earth. 

AC'CHO, a seaport of 
Canaan, belonging to the 
tribe of Asher, but not con- 
quered by them. Jud. i. 31. 
It first became an important 
city in the reign of Ptolemy 
Philadelphus, who greatly 
enlarged and beautified the 
place, and from whom it was 
long called Ptolemais. It 
became famous during the 
crusades, and was then call- 
ed St. Jean-de-Acre. The 
Christians were expelled from 
it, as their last hold in Pales- 
tine, abott 1291 and it has 
since been heiu byAhe'Tur^s 
The French, under Napoleon, 
met a repulse here, in i799. 
The population, in 1825, was 
about 5,000, according to 
Mr. Jowett. It is erroneous!/ 



AC II 



10 



ADA 



stated in some works to be 
from 18 to £0,000. It is now 
called Acre. 

ACEL'DAMA, a field ly- 
ing a little south of Jerusalem, 
where potters dug" their clay. 
The money which Judas 
threw back to the Jewish 
rulers, being the price of 
blood, as they called it, they 
would not put into the Lord's 
treasury, but with it purchas- 
ed this field 5 wherefore it was 
called " Aceldama, pr The 
Field of mood." Acts i. 18, 
19. Zech. xi. 12, 13. It 
was then appropriated as a 
place to bury strangers, from 
which the burial-ground for 
this purpose is, in some cities, 
called the Potters' Field. 
Malt, xxvii. 8. The spot 
Still is used by the Armenians 
for a grave-yard. It is now 
about ICO feet long- and 70 
broad, and is called Caviyo 
Sancto. It is surrounded by 
a wall, and is in fact a vast 
vault arched over, into which 
bodies arc lowered through 
seven apertures from above. 

ACHA'IA, in the largest 
sense, comprehended all 
Greece Proper } now called Li- 
retain. This seems the mean- 
ing, 2 Cor. xi. 10. Thus, 
what is Achaia, Acts xix. 21, 
is Hellas } i. e. Greece, Acts 
xx. 2. In the strict use of the 
term, Achaia was that north- 
ern part of the Peloponnesus, 
the capital of which was 
Corinth. 2 Cor. i. 1. 

A'CHOR. This word sig- 
nifies trouble, and was the 



name of a valley near Jericho, 
given to it because of the 
tribulation produced by the 
theft of Achan, who was 
stoned here. Josh. vii. 24?— 26 

ACRE. The English acre 
is 4840 square yards, the Ro- 
man 3200, and the Egyptian 
3698 j but the Hebrew acre 
appears to mean as much as 
one yoke of oxen could 
plough in a day. Ten acres 
of vineyard yielding one bath, 
and the seed of an homer pro- 
ducing an cphah, Isa. v. 10, 
means that the land should be 
afflicted with dreadful steril- 
ity, for such a crop is scarcely 
a tenth part of the seed sown. 

ACTS of the Apostles, 
the history of the primitive 
church, written by Luke. It 
does not contain a full ac- 
count of the labors of ail the 
apostles, but only of a few as 
a specimen ; chiefly those of 
Paul. The narrative com- 
mences at the ascension of 
Christ, and extends to Paul's 
arrival at Rome, on his ap- 
peal to Caesar, a period of 
about 30 years. 

ADAD-RllYPMON, a city 
in the valley of Jezreel, 
famous for a dreadful battle. 
2 Kings xxiii. 29. Zech. xii. 
11. It was afterward called 
Maximianopolis in honor of 
the emperor JMaximian. 

ADAMANT, a beautiful 
stone, of the hardest kind, 
generally called diamond. 
Sinners' hearts are compared 
to adamant. Zech. vii. 12 
See Diamond. 



AD D 



11 



ADR 



A'DAR, the twelfth month 
of the Jewish sacred year, 
and the sixth of the civil ; cor- 
responding to February. The 
intercalary month added at 
the end of every third year 
was called Vc-Adar, or sec- 
ond Adar. 

ADDER, a venomous rep- 
tile, brought forth alive, and 
not hatched from eggs, as are 
most serpents. It is often 
called a viper. The term oc- 
curs five times in our transla- 
tion. In Gen. xlix. 17, the 
original word is shephi- 
PHON, thought by critics to 
be the cerastes, a. viper which 
lurks in the sand, the color 
of which it resembles. In 
Ps. lviii. 4, and xci. 13, the 
Hebrew word is pethen, an 
asp. In Ps. xl. 3, it is 
ACHSUB, which is also ren- 
dered asp. InProv. xxiii. 32, 
the term is TZiPHO.\i,which in 
Isa. xiv. 29, and Jer. viii. 17, 
&c. is rendered cockatrice, or 
basilisk, a serpent said to kill 
with its breath. Serpents, 
like most other creatures, are 
attracted by music. Many 
authors, both ancient and 
modern, confirm this fact. 
This is called charming them j 
and while their delight in the 
music continues, they are per- 
fectly harmless, and will go 
after the person playing. The 
deaf adder or asp, mentioned 
Ps. lvi. 4, probably means 
one so full of venom as to be in- 
sensible to sweet sounds. To 
which other allusions agree. 
See Ecc. x. 11. Jer. viii. 17. 



ADJURE. It was a cus 

torn among the Jews to ad 
jure, which was by a form of 
execration laid on the person 
if he did not answer truly. 
It was the same as adminis- 
tering an oath is now; so that 
though Jesus held his peace 
when merely interrogated, he 
acknowledged, when adjured, 
or put on oath, that he was 
the Son of Cod. Matt. xxvi. 
C3. 

ADONIRAM, one of Sol- 
omon's overseers on Lebanon, 

1 Kings v. 14. He is also 
called Adoram by contraction, 
2 Sam. xx. 24, and Hadoram, 

2 Chr. x. IB. 

ADOPTION, the act of 
taking one into the family for 
a child. Pharaoh's daughter 
adopted Moses. Mordecai 
thus received Esther. Many 
other instances occur in 
Scripture. The double pa- 
rentage thus created, has great- 
ly confused chronologers, 
and caused unlearned objec- 
tions to scripture genealogies. 
True believers in Christ, who 
rely upon the efficacious 
atonement of his precious 
blood, and the sure merit of 
his perfect righteousness, for 
the pardon of their sins and 
reconciliation to Cod, being 
regenerated by the Spirit, 
and freely justified by grace, 
through the redemption of 
Jesus Christ, arc said to be 
brought into this state of 
adoption. 2 Cor. vi. 18. 

ADRAM'MELECH, a 
deity of the Sepharvaites, who 



ADU 



12 



AHA 



seems to have been worship- 
ped as the god of flocks and 
herds. 

This was also the name of 
a son of Sennacherib, who, 
with his brother Sharezer, 
slew their father in the temple 
of Nisroch. Isa. xxxvii. 38. 

ADRAMYT'TIUM is by 
some geographers affirmed 
to be ihe same with Thebes 
in Egypt. Others maintain, 
with more probability, that 
this city was in Mysia, op- 
posite Lesbos. The latter 
was situated at the foot of 
Mount Ida, and was founded 
by a colony from Athens. It 
was a place of much com- 
merce, Acts xxvii. 2 j but it 
is now a poor fishing village, 
and is called Dramiti. 

A'DRIA, a sea now called 
the Gulf of Venice, on the 
coast of Italy. Paul, in going 
to Rome, suffered an extreme 
tempest in this sea. Acts 
xxvii. 27. 

ADUL'LAM was once a 
noble town in the north part 
of the lot of Judah. Near it 
was the place of David's con- 
cealment. 1 Sam. xxii. 1. It 
continued to be an important 
place for several centuries 
after Christ, but is now ex- 
tinct. 

ADULTERY, a general 
term for every species of un- 
chastity, but now generally 
restricted to the crime of vio- 
lating the bed of a married 
person. In a spiritual sense, 
it means idolatry, or the act 
of paying that homage to the 



creature, which is due only 
to the Creator. Jer. iii. 9. 
Ezek. xxiii. 37. 

ADVOCATE, a title of 
Jesus, showing his interces- 
sion for his people. We have 
a specimen of the manner 
in which he acts as such, 
in John xvi. and xvii. 

AFFINITY, relation. For 
the degrees of affinity which 
obstructed matrimony, see 
Leviticus xviii. 

AG'ATE, a gem of various 
colors and degrees of trans- 
parency. It is found in the 
form of rounded nodules, from 
the size of a pin's head to 
more than a foot in diameter, 
in the river Wolga, in Ger- 
many, in the pudding-stone 
of Siberia, in Ceylon, Scot- 
land, &c. Those of the last- 
named country are common- 
ly called Scotch pebbles. It 
is a stone of great beauty, 
and is only cheap because 
found in abundance. It was 
the second stone in the lower 
row of the high priest's breast 
plate. Ex. xxviii. 19. 

AGRIP'PA. See Herod. 

AHASUE'RUS. There were 
several kings of this name. 

1. Astyages the Mede, 
son of Cyaxares. Dan. ix. 1. 

2. Cambyses, king of 
Persia, during whose reign 
the rebuilding of the temple 
was suspended. Ezra iv. 
6,7. 

3. Darius Hystaspes, 
the husband of Esther. Est. i. 
1. He died a.m. 3519. Pri- 
deaux thinks/with Severus and 



AIR 



13 



ALE 



many others, that Artaxerxes 
Longimanus was the person 5 
Scaliger, Jahn, and others, 
that it was Xerxes. 

AHA'VA, a river on the 
banks of which Ezra assem- 
bled the Jews who were re- 
turning' with him to their own 
land. Ezra viii. 15. It is 
probably the country called 
Ava, 2 Kings xvii. 24, whence 
the king of Assyria drew set- 
tlers for Palestine, and where 
he colonized the Israelites. 
2 Kings xviii. 34, and xix. 
13. 

AIR, a fluid which sur- 
rounds the earth to the height 
of about fifty miles. Air has 
a considerable weight. About 
2160 pounds weight of it 
presses on every square foot 5 
and, allowing the surface of a 
human body to be 15 square 
feet, the pressure of air on it 
must amount to 32,400 pounds 
weight. But this pressure is 
not felt, because our bodies 
contain such a portion as 
serves to buoy them up. Air 
is necessary not only to the 
existence of man, but of all 
animals and plants. The 
winds keep it pure. Crea- 
tures inhabiting the water 
need air as much as land 
animals. Some of these come 
often to the surface to breathe, 
and those which have gills 
manufacture air for them- 
selves out of water. If there 
were no air, we could neither 
see, hear nor speak ; there 
could be neither clouds nor 
Fain. Indeed, the whole 
2 



world would be destroyed, if 
the air were to be destroyed, 
or even become stagnant. 

« To beat the air," 1 Cor. 
ix. 26, xiv. 9, is to speak or 
labor to no purpose. In 
Eph. ii. 2, " the power of 
the air" means those who ex- 
ercise that power, viz. evil 
spirits who are under the con- 
trol of Satan, here called 
their prince. The word 
" heaven" is used to signify 
the air. Gen. xix. 24. 2 Kings 
i. 10. 

AL'ABASTER, a name 
now applied to a soft, fine, 
white species of marble, or 
sulphate of lime, found near 
Thebes in Egypt, and Damas- 
cus in Syria. The word is 
derived from the name given 
by the Greeks to an urn or 
vessel without handles, espe- 
cially those made narrow at 
the top, so as to be easily 
stopped, and thus especially 
proper for ointments and per- 
fumes. Alabasters were of 
glass, silver, or gold. It was 
customary at feasts among 
the great to anoint the hair 
of the guests with costly per- 
fume. Ps. xxiii. 5, and xlv. 
7. Matt, xx vi. 7. 

ALBE'IT, an old word for 
nevertheless, or although. 

ALEXANDRIA, a cele- 
brated city in Lower Egypt ; 
situated between Lake Ma- 
reotis and the western branch 
of the Nile, near its mouth 5 
founded by Alexander the 
Great, b. c. 331. After the 
destruction of Carthage, it 



ALE 



14 



ALM 



was, for ages, the chief city 
of the world, next to Rome. 
Its commerce extended to 
every part of 1he then known 
world. The Ptolemies made 
it their royal residence, and 
each successive monarch 
.abored to embellish it. 
When the Romans, at the 
death of Cleopatra, b. c. 26, 
annexed Egypt to their em- 
pire, they respected and pre- 
served the beauties of this 
city, and it continued to flour- 
ish. In a ship belonging 
to Alexandria, Paul sailed 
for Rome. Acts xxvii. 6. 
Christianity was early plant- 
ed in this place. Mark is 
said to have founded the 
church here, A. d. 60, and 
was here martyred, a. d. 68. 
Here Apollos was born. 
Acts xviii. 24. Numerous 
Jews resided here, engaged 
in trade and commerce j 
50,000 of whom were mur- 
dered, under the Emperor 
Nero. Clemens Alexandri- 
nus, Origen, Athanasius, and 
other eminent ministers, flour- 
ished here. Under the Sara- 
cens, who conquered it A. D. 
646, it soon began to decay. 
They stupidly burnt its fa- 
mous library of 700,000 vol- 
umes. The famous version 
qf the O. T. called the Sep- 
tuagint was made here nearly 
300 years before Christ. It 
then contained 4000 baths 
and 400 theatres. It is now 
dwindled to a village, with 
nothing remarkable but the 
ruias of its ancient'grandeur, 



and is called by the natives 
Skanderia. 

ALEXANDRIANS, a 
class of Jews, natives of Al- 
exandria, and so speaking 
that language. They were 
very numerous at Jerusalem. 
Acts vi. 9. 

ALL, every creature or 
person. Sometimes this epi- 
thet is used indefinitely, ex- 
pressing a great many, or the 
greatest part, Matt. iii. 15 ; 
sometimes for every class 
and condition of men. 1 Tim. 
ii. 4. Titus ii. 11. 

AL'LEGORY, a similitude 
carried out to more- length 
than a metaphor. Gal. iv. 
24, 31 . They greatly abound 
in the Bible, and all oriental 
writings. Christians have 
often fallen into error by in- 
terpreting them too closely, of 
treating plain passages as 
such. 

ALMOND, a tree bearing: 
the well-known fruit, so called. 
Its blossoms are white. Ecc. 
xii. 5. In size and shape it 
resembles the peach-tree. 

ALMS. Bounty to the 
poor. Matt. vi. 1. 

AL 'MUG-TREE. It is 
thought to be the same with 
the Shittah, or Shittim-tree. 
1 Kings x. 11. Some have 
supposed it to be the sandal 
wood, much used in the East 
for costly purposes. A spe- 
cies of this wood found in Si- 
am, Japan, &c. yields a beau- 
tiful red dye. This resem- 
blance in color to coral may 
have given it the name al- 



ALO 



15 



ALT 



mug, which, in Rabbinic, sig- 
nifies coral, and then the 
meaning of the term would 
be coral-wood. 

AL'OES. Tournefort 
reckons fourteen kinds of the 
aloe. Some are trees, others 
shrubs or herbs. The Amer- 
ican aloe is famous for its 
fine flowers, which are of the 
lily kind ; the Asian for the 
drug prepared from it, famed 
for its purgative qualities. It 
is made by expressing the 
juice from the leaves, and 
hardening it in the sun to the 
consistence of a gum. That 
which is most nicely prepared 
is called the succotrine, the 
next is called hypatic, and 
the coarsest is the horse aloe. 
The fragrant wood of a spe- 
cies growing in China, Cochin 
China and Siam is so precious 
as to be worth more than its 
weight in gold. Compare Can- 



ticles iv. 14, and Prov. vii. 17 
Aloes were anciently used 
for the embalming of dead 
bodies, and as a perfume. 
John xix. 39. Prov. vii. 17. 

AL'PHA, the first letter of 
the Greek alphabet. It is 
used in connection with Ome- 
ga, which is the last letter, to 
express the eternity of Jesus 
Christ. Rev. i. 8, 11. 

ALTAR, among the Jews, 
a mound or large stone table 
where sacrifices were laid and 
offered. After the erection 
of the tabernacle, two altars 
were appointed, one for sac- 
rifices, the other for incense, 
and on no others were offer- 
ings lawful. The annexed 
picture represents the " altar 
of burnt offering/ 1 as made 
by Solomon, which was thirty 
feet square, and fifteen feet 
high. It stood not in the tab- 
ernacle, but in the court. The 




AMA 



16 



AME 



H altar of incense" was a 
table about two feet square 
and four feet high, plated 
with gold, which stood in the 
Holy Place. Some Chris- 




tians still apply the name to 
the table where the commu- 
nion is administered 5 but 
Christ is the only Christian 
altar to which we bring all 
our sacrifices and services. 
Heb. xiii. 19. 

AM'ALEKITES, a nation 
dwelling between the Red 
and Dead Seas. About a.m. 
2091, Chedorlaomer ravaged 
their country, at which time 
multitudes left it. It is 
thought by some, that these 
poured themselves on Egypt, 
and were the shepherds men- 
tioned by Manetho. For 
their great wickedness, God 
utterly ruined this people by 
the hand of Saul. 1 Sam. xv. 
Afterward a remnant gathered 
again, which was finally de- 
stroyed by the Simeonites, in 
the days of Hezekiah. 1 
Chron. iv. 



AMBASSADOR, a legate 
or apostle. A person sent on 
behalf of another, with powers 
to act according to general 
instructions. 2 Cor. v. 20. 

AMBER, a yellow, inflam- 
mable substance, transparent 
if pure, which seems to have 
been originally in a fluid state, 
as leaves and insects are 
cften found in it. It is ob- 
tained from Turkey, Germa- 
ny, Poland, &c, but chiefly 
from Prussia, where it is so 
abundant, that mines are reg- 
ularly worked for it. It was 
formerly cut into various or- 
naments, and ranked among 
the precious stones. Ezek. i. 
4, and viii. 2. 

AMEN, true, verily, be it 
so. Christ is called The 
Amen, because be is the God 
of truth. Rev. iii. 14. The 
promises are said to be " Yea 
and Amen," in Christ, be- 
cause that by him they will 
infallibly be all accomplish- 
ed. 2 Cor. i. 20. When 
used in devotion, it means be it 
so. When repeated in affir- 
mation, it is equivalent to our 
phrase, indeed, indeed. 

Among the Jews and early 
Christians, the whole assem- 
bly responded an audible 
Amen at the close of a public 
prayer. Jerome says that 
when the Christians said 
Amen at the close of a 
prayer, &c, the sound was 
like a clap of thunder. 

AMETHYST, a very rare 
gem, generally of a pur- 
ple or violet color. It is 






A M O 



17 



ANG 



found in Germany, Spain, 
and other countries, but the 
most valuable are obtained in 
Asia and Russia. 

AMMON, or No-Ammon, 
see No. 

AMMONITES, a people 
descended from Lot through 
Ammon or Ben-Ammi. They 
oppressed Israel 18 years, 
and were then overcome by 
Jephthah. Jud. x. &c. At 
various times in after ages, 
they were permitted to 
scourge the Hebrews. 2 
Chron. xx. At length Judas 
Maccabeus overcame them, 
ravaged their country, and 
burnt their cities. The poor 
remains were afterward min- 
gled among the Arabs, and 
the name was lost from among 
nations. Amos i. 11 — 14. 
Zeph. ii.9— 11. 

AM'ORITES, inhabitants 
of that part of Syria which 
was given to Israel. They 
occupied the portion which 
afterwards constituted the 
lots of Reuben, Gad, Manas- 
seh, Dan, Judah, Simeon, and 
Benjamin. As they were the 
most powerful of the devoted 
tribes, all the Canaanites 
sometimes went under their 
name. Jud. vi. 10. 2 Kings 
xxi. 11. 

AMOS began to prophesy 
a little before Hosea, and 
continued a while cotempo- 
rarywith that prophet, during 
the reign of Uzziah. His 
prophecy relates chiefly to 
the ruin and restoration of 
&b Jews. 



AMPHIP'OLIS, a city of 
Macedonia. Acts xvii. 1. It 
is almost surrounded by the 
river Strymon, whence its 
name, which means u a city 
surrounded." It is now call- 
ed Emboli. 

ANAM'MELECH, an idol 
of the Sepharvaites, a tribe 
of the Samaritans. 2 Kings 
xvii. 31. 

ANANI'AS, the name of 
three persons mentioned in 
the New Testament. 

1. A professed Christian, 
who, with his wife Sapphira, 
died at the rebuke of Peter, 
for falsehood and hypocrisy. 
Acts v. 1 — 5. 

2. A Christian of Damascus, 
who restored Paul to sight. 
Acts ix. 10 — 17, &c. He be- 
came pastor of the church 
there, and died a martyr. 

3. The high priest, who 
presided in the council at 
Paul's examination. Acts 
xxiii. 2. 

ANATH'EMA, a solemn 
curse j an accursed person or 
thing. 1 Cor. xvi. 22. See 
Maranatha. 

ANDREW, our Saviour's 
first disciple. He suffered 
martyrdom at Patras in A- 
chaia. It is said he was nailed 
to a cross shaped like the 
letter X j hence a cross ot 
this shape is called St. An- 
drew's cross. 

ANGEL, a messenger. It 
is applied to those heavenly 
agents which are the highest 
created intellectual beings, 
whom God makes use of as 



ANG 



18 



ANO 



his ministers to execute the 
orders of providence ; Rev. 
xxii. 8. — to Christ ; who is the 
Mediator and Head of the 
church 5 Zech. i. 12. Rev. x. 
1.— to ministers of the gospel, 
who are the ambassadors for 
Christ j Rev. ii. 1, and iii. 1, 
7.' — to those whom God em- 
ploys to execute his judg- 
ments -, Rev. xv. 8, and xvi. 
I. — to devils } Matt. xxv. 41. 
1 Cor. vi. 3. InlCor.xi. 10, 
it may mean spies, who were 
sent to watch for the faults 
of Christians. 

The most common applica- 
tion of the term, is to the 
happy spirits who have never 
fallen. When God founded 
the earth with such skill and 
goodness, they sang together 
and shouted for joy. Job 
xxxviii. 6, 7. They were 
created with eminent wisdom, 
holiness, purity, and happi- 
ness j but capable of change, 
and some of them fell. Their 
knowledge is great, but not 
infinite ; they desire to look 
into the mystery of our sal- 
vation, and learn from the 
church the manifold wisdom 
of God. N or can they search 
the hearts of men, nor know 
future things, but as particu- 
larly instructed of God. 1 
Pet. i. 12. Eph. iii. 10. Jer. 
xvii. 10. Matt. xxiv. 36. 
Their power is vast, but 
reaches to nothing strictly 
miraculous. Their number 
amounts to many millions. 
Ps. lxviii. 17. Matt. xxvi. 
63. Rev. v. 11. Dan. vii. 



10. Their names, of " throne*, 
dominions, principalities, and 
powers/ 7 suggest an order of 
gradation among them, though 
of what kii d we cannot cer- 
tainly ascei tain. Col. i. 16. 

Guardian angels are thought 
to be alluded to, Gen.xlviii.16. 
Ps. xxxiv. 7,xci. 11. Acts xii. 
15 j but those passages do not 
necessarily convey this idea. 
AN'GER, a violent dis 
pleasure and indignation ac- 
companied with grief. Mar] 
iii. 5. It is lawfu, when direct- 
ed against sin, Eph. iv. 26 5 
sinful when pointed against 
the person of another, and 
accompanied with a desire of 
revenge. 

AN'ISE, a small plant, 
somewhat like parsley, very 
common in Judea. The seed 
is carminative and fragrant. 

ANNA, a prophetess. Luke 
ii. 36. Her continuing with- 
out ceasing in the temple, 
means only that she never 
omitted the regular morning 
and evening services there. 

ANOINT, to pour oil upon 
a person, as was done among 
the Jews, not only for the 
general purposes of health 
and cleanliness, but espe 
cially when they set apart a 
person to a holy office, as of 
prophet, priest, or king} 
which being by divine ap- 
pointment, was to denote the 
person's being endued with 
the gifts of the Spirit. Ex, 
xxix. 7. Lev. iv. 3. Jud. ix. 
8, &c. But Jesus Christ was 
the only one ever particularly 



ANT 



19 



APO 



designated by God to fill all 
the three distinct offices of 
prophet, priest, and king. 
He was in a peculiar manner 
filled with the Holy Ghost, of 
which anointing with oil was 
the emblem. Christ is em- 
phatically styled the anointed 
in various parts of Scripture. 
Ps. xlv. 7. Isa. lxi. 1. Dan. 
ix. 24. 

ANON, a word in common 
use when our translation of 
the Bible was made. It is of 
the same import as quickly. 
Mark xiii. 20. 

AN'TELOPE, see Roe. 

ANTICHRIST is a word 
of Greek origin, signifying a 
person or power, actuated by 
a spirit opposite to that of 
Christ. In the days of John, 
there were already many anti- 
christs. 1 John ii. 18, and iv. 
3. The term has been com- 
monly applied to the church 
of Rome, which is thought to 
be described 2 Thess. ii. 4. 
Compare Daniel vii. 24, 25, 
and Rev. xvii. 1 — 6. Wheth- 
er this application of the term 
be correct or not, has little to 
do with the controversy re- 
specting the Catholic religion, 
as that must stand on the 
general agreement or dis- 
agreement of its doctrines 
and practices with Scripture. 

ANTIOCH, the capital of 
Syria, lying on both banks of 
the Orontes, twelve miles 
from the Mediterranean, built 
by Seleucus Nicanor, e. c. 
301. It was ranked the third 
city of the earth, being scarce- 



ly inferior to Alexandria. It 
was the royal residence of 
the kings of Syria. Luke 
and TlieopJrilus were bom in 
this place. Here Paul and 
Barnabas preached, and here 
the disciples of Christ were 
first called Christians. Chry- 
sostom preached here in the 
fourth century with great suc- 
cess. This church was famous 
for many hundred years. In 
A. D. 538, sixty thousand of 
its inhabitants perished in an 
earthquake. In 1188, it was 
demolished by the Saracens. 
In 1822, a tremendous earth 
quake completely destroyed 
the remains of this once 
splendid city ; and it is now 
little else than a heap of ruins. 
Its present name is Antakia. 

There were many other 
cities called Antioch ; none 
of which are mentioned in 
Scripture, but that in Pisidia, 
which is now called Ak-sher, 
and sometimes Antiochio. 
Acts xiii. 14. 

ANTIP'ATRIS, a city of 
Canaan, situated in a pleas- 
ant valley, near the moun- 
tains, in the way from Jeru- 
salem to Caesarea, about 17 
miles distant from Joppa, and 
42 from Jerusalem. Acts 
xxiii. 31. It was formerly 
called CapJiarsalama.( IMacc. 
vii. 31,) but was of little note 
till enlarged and adorned by 
Herod, who named it after his 
father, Antipater. 

APOCRYPHA properly 
signifies u hidden " or u con- 
cealed" and is applied to a 



A PO 



AR A 



number of books often placed 
between the Old and New 
Testaments. They were not 
admitted by the ancient Chris- 
tians into the canon of Scrip- 
ture. None of them were 
ever received by the Jews. 
They are not found* in the 
catalogue of the canonical 
books, made by Mileto, 
bishop of Carthage, in the 
second century ; nor does 
Origen, in the third, or Epi- 
phanius, in the fourth, ac- 
knowledge their authenticity. 
The oldest Syriac version of 
the Bible does not contain 
these books. Few of them 
were allowed to be canon- 
ical, until the ninth and tenth 
centuries, when the ignorance, 
both of the people and of the 
clergy, was most deplorable. 
The popish council of Trent 
voted them to be authentic, 
and they are still retained by 
Papists. Some of these books, 
such as Maccabees and Ec- 
clesiasticus, contain useful his- 
tory and wholesome advice, 
but others are puerile and 
fabulous. There are also 
many apocryphal books of 
the New Testament. 

APOLLO'NIA, a city of 
Macedonia, now unimportant, 
and called Polina. Acts 
xvii. 1. 

APOLL'YON, literally the 
(< destroyer." See Abaddon. 
APOSTLE, minister, or 
messenger. The term im- 
plies selection, commission, 
qualification, mission, accoun- 
tability and recompense. 



The title is specially given to 
those whom Christ chose to 
be witnesses and inspired 
teachers of his life, doctrine 
and resurrection. It is also 
applied to Christ Jesus, who 
was sent from heaven to as- 
sume our nature, and to effect 
the great work of man's re- 
demption, by his merits cind 
death. Heb. iii. 1. 

APTII-FORUM, a place 
in the south-west of Italy, 
about fifty miles from Rome, 
where Paul was met by his 
Christian friends. Acts xxviii 
15. It is now called Fossa 
Nuova. 

APPLE-TREE. The ap- 
ple is a species of fruit not 
common in Palestine, though 
found there. The tree so 
called in Scripture is proba- 
bly the citron, which is large, 
ever-green, and fragrant, and 
affords a delightful shade. 
Sol. Song, viii. 5. Prov. xxv. 
11. 

The Apple of Sodom is 
a fruit resembling the apple, 
containing, when green, an 
acid,milky juice ; but in winter, 
when dried, becomes a yellow- 
ish offensive dust. 

ARABIA, a large country 
of Asia, lying partly on the 
east, but chiefly southward, of 
Canaan. Its greatest length 
from east to west is about 
1620 miles j and its greatest 
breadth from north to south 
about 1350. It has the Indian 
Ocean on the south, the Red 
Sea and Isthmus of Suez on 
the west, Canaan and Syria 



ARA 



21 



ARA 



on the north-west and north, 
the mountains of Chaldea and 
the Persian Gulf on the east. 
It is ordinarily divided in- 
to three parts. (1.) Arabia 
Petrcea, or the rocky, on the 
north-west, and which is now 
called Hejiax. In the south- 
west pait of it now stand the 
famed cities of Mecca and 
Medina, so much visited by 
Mahometan pilgrims. This 
division contained the land of 
Edom, Kadesh Barnea, Pa- 
ran; Cushan, &c. The peo- 
ple of this part are called 
11 Men of the east." Gen. 
xxv. 6. Jud. vi. 3. (2.) 
Arabia Deserta, which lay 
eastward of Canaan, and 
comprehended the land of Uz, 
ofAmmon,Moab,Midian,with 
the country of the Itureans, 
Hagarenes, <fcc. In this part 
was Mount Sinai. The in- 
habitants have in all ages 
dwelt in tents, and led a wan- 
dering life. They are at 
present called Bedouins. (3.) 
Arabia Felix, or the happy, 
on the south of the two for- 
mer, between the Persian 
Gulf and Red Sea. Scarcely 
any part of Arabia is well 
watered ; but Arabia Felix is 
the most so, and is famed for 
its opium, myrrh, cassia, and 
other drugs, as well as for 
fine spices and fruits. 

The Arabians are, in gen- 
eral, the descendants of Ish- 
mael. The descendants of 
Abraham by Keturah, as well 
as those of Lot and Esau, 
dwelt also in this land, and 



either mixed with, or sup- 
planted the inhabitants. The 
Arabic language is one of the 
most ancient in the world, and 
is remarkable for its copious- 
ness. The ancient Arabic 
was without points. The 
present Arabic characters are 
modern. 

Of all nations, says Calmet, 
the Arabs have spread most 
over the world, and, in all their 
wanderings, they have, more 
than any other nation, preserv- 
ed their language, manners, 
and peculiar customs. They 
are cunning, ingenious, poeti- 
cal, superstitious, vindictive, 
sanguinary, and thievish. In 
character and customs they 
have scarcely varied since the 
days of the patriarchs. Chris- 
tianity was early extended 
over this country, and we 
read of martyrs, councils, &c. 
in Arabia. 

AR'ARAT, a mountain in 
the country of the same name, 
on which rested Noah's ark. 
Part of the province which 
was formerly so called, lies 
in Turcomania, and the rest 
is in Persia. It has Georgia 
on the north, Media on the 
east, Assyria on the south, 
and Lesser Asia on the west. 
Here the rivers Euphrates, 
Tigris, Araxes, and Phasis, 
have their source. Here 
stand the famed mountains 
Taurus and Antitaurus, Ni- 
phates, Gordian, &c. Mount 
Ararat, upon which Noah's 
ark rested, was probably the 
Ar-dagh or finger-mountain, in 



ARE 



AhK 



Armenia, standing- in a large 
plain, 36 miles east from Eri- 
van, rising in a conical shape 
to the height of about 12,000 
feet above the level of the sea, 
and visible nearly 200 miles 
distant. Its top is inaccessi- 
ble on account of the snow 
which perpetually covers it. 
The middle part is haunted by 
tigers 5 some poor flocks and 
small monasteries are at the 
foot. 

ARCHANGEL, the chief 
angel. The Jews supposed 
that there are seven of them, 
greater in power than the rest, 
and that the guardianship of 
particular nations is commit- 
ted to them. Michael was 
considered the patron of the 
Jews. Dan. x. 13, 21. The 
name is never used in the 
plural, and some learned men 
are decidedly of opinion that 
it means Jesus Christ. 1 
Thess. iv. 16. 

ARCTU'RUS, a star of 
the first magnitude in the con- 
stellation of Bootes, near the 
north pole. It becomes visi- 
ble in September, and sets in 
March. Job ix. 9. The " sons 
of Arpturus" are probably the 
inferior stars adjacent. Job 
xxxviii. 32. 

AREOP'AGUS, the high 
court of Athens, called Mars- 
hill, because it was held on 
that eminence. It first con- 
sisted of 9 judges, afterward 
of 30, and finally, about the 
days of Paul, of 500. Their 
jurisdiction at that period ex- 
tended to religious as well as 



civil affairs. There are still 
to be seen vestiges of their 
seats, cut in the rock. Paul, 
when cited before them on a 
charge of setting forth strange 
gods, preached so ably, that 
he was dismissed, and Diony- 
sius, one of the judges, and 
some others, became converts. 
Acts xvii. 

ARIMATHE'A, a city of 
Judea, generally considered 
to be the same with Ramla, 
a pleasant town between Je- 
rusalem and Joppa. It is, 
however, more probably the 
city of Ramak, in Mount 
Ephraim, called Ramathaim, 
1 Sam. i. 1, 19, and by Jose- 
phus Ramatha. Matt, xxvii. 57. 

ARK, the vessel built by 
Noah for the preservation of 
his family, &c. during the 
deluge. It is computed, from 
the measurement recorded in 
Genesis, to have been of the 
burden of more than 81,000 
tons. Allowing 18 inches to 
the cubit, the length was 450 
feet, the width 75, and the 
height 45. This size amply 
sufficed for all the creatures 
to be saved within it and 
their food. Only such animals 
as could not live in water or 
mud, or on the floating rubbish, 
were taken into the ark. It 
had three decks or stories, di- 
vided into numerous stalls or 
apartments, beside the hold, 
where water and provisions 
were stowed. Calmet reckons 
only 150 species of quadrupeds; 
of birds there are more in num- 
ber, but smaller ; of -eptiles 



23 




Priest before the Ark. 




Tlie Ark of the Covenant. 



ARM 



24 



ARM 



most species can live in the 
water, and so were not taken in- 
to the ark. The window or win- 
dows were, by divine appoint- 
ment^! the roof only. The in- 
mates were therefore saved the 
misery of seeing the dreadful 
scenes which were around 
them, and from being- induced 
to receive any person in. Gen. 
vi. and vii. 

ARK OF THE COVE- 
NANT, a chest nearly four 
feet in length, of which a 
good idea may be formed 
from the picture, p. 23. It 
contained the original stone 
tables of the law, Aaron's rod 
that budded, the pot of manna, 
and, in after times, a copy of 
the five books of Moses. 
These seem at one time to 
have been kept before the ark, 
1 Kings viii. 9, and at another 
within it. Hebrews ix. 4. 
During the captivity, these 
precious articles seem to have 
been lost, except the stone 
tables. The lid of the ark 
was called the mercy-seat, 
over which rested the She.china 
like a visible cloud, in the man- 
ner represented in the picture. 

An ark similar to this was 
made for the second temple ; 
but it was destitute of the sa- 
cred contents above mention- 
ed 7 and of the Sliechina. 

ARMAGED'DON. This 
word is of doubtful import. 
It is thought by Grotius to 
mean the Mount of meeting, 
and to signify the place where 
Constantine, with a Christian 
army of 98,000 men, conquer- 



ed Maxentius with an army oi 
188,000 heathen, which victo- 
ry was so signal and entire, 
that the church was wholly 
freed from Maxentius' tyran- 
ny. Rev. xvi. 16. 

ARME'NIA, a country 
north of Mesopotamia, was 
reduced to a Persian province 
by Cyrus. After the days of 
Alexander, it became free, but 
was conquered by the Romans 
about half a century before 
Christ, and subsequently fell 
to the Saracens. It now 
forms part of the Turkish em- 
pire. Isa. xxxvii. 38. 

ARMOR. (1.) A coat of 
mail. Rom. xiii. 12. Not 




being proof against musket 
balls, it has been disused 



ASA 



25 



ASH 



since the invention of gun- 
powder. The figure in the 
picture is that given by Cal- 
met as illustrating" the armor 
of Goliath ; and whether accu- 
rate or not as to him, is a sat- 
isfactory representation of a 
coat of mail. The figure 
behind is his armor bear- 
er carrying his shield. (2.) 
Weapons of war. Those for- 
merly used were sword, spear, 
bow and arrow, sling, javelin, 
&c. 

ARMY, a body of soldiers. 
Jewish armies were not com- 
posed of regular troops kept 
for war, but were collected as 
occasion required, received no 
pay, and found their own arms 
and provisions. The size of 
some of the armies mentioned 
in scripture is surprising, but 
profane history speaks of some 
still greater. The proclama- 
tion mentioned Deut. xx. 5. 
was always made before the 
Jews gave battle. 

ART AXERX'ES, the name 
of a race of Persian kings, as 
Ptolemy was of the Egyptian. 
The king who married Esther, 
Est. ii. and commissioned Ez- 
ra and Nehemiah to repair 
the holy city, was probably 
Artaxerxes Longimanus, 
who died b. c. 425, after a 
mild reign of 39 years. He who 
is mentioned Ez. iv. 7, is the 
Smerdis of Herodotus. 

ASA, a good king of Judah, 
who ascended the throne about 
A. m. 3049. Respectable chro- 
nologists reckon that it was in 
his days that the Argonauts 
3 



made the voyage up the Hel- 
lespont. See under Bithyniou 

ASAPH, a Levite and fa* 
mous musician in the time of 
David. Twelve psalms bear 
his name, but it. is not gen- 
erally thought he composed 
them. Probably he set them 
to music, or some of his de- 
scendants did, and called them 
by his name. 

ASHDOD, a fortified city 
of the Philistines, lying in the 
lot of Judah, and called by the 
Greeks Azotus. 1 Sam. v. 
Acts viii. 40. 

ASHIMA, the god of the 
Hamathites, who settled in Sa- 
maria. It is not certain what 
was the shape under which he 
was worshipped 5 probably the 
ape. 2 Kings xvii. 30. 
ASH'TAROTH, Ashtoreth, 
or Astarte, a famed goddess 
of the Zidonians. The moon, 
or queen of heaven, was wor- 
shipped under this name. 
Cicero calls her the fourth 
Venus of Syria. Perhaps she 
is the JEstar, or Eoslre, of the 
Saxons, from whom the term 
Easier is derived. She is va- 
riously represented ; some- 
times in a long, sometimes in 
a short habit ; sometimes as 
holding a long staff, with a 
cross at the top; sometimes 
she is crowned with rays ; at 
other times, with the horns of 
a bull ; which, according to 
Sanchoniathon, were emblems 
of the new moon. 
ASH'TAROTH-KAR' 
NAIM, a city belonging to 
the half-tribe of Manasseh, 



ASI 



26 



ASS 



eastward of Jordan , about six 
miles from Edrei, where Che- 
dor] aomer smote the gig-antic 
Rephaims, and where was the 
residence of Og, king of Ba- 
shan. Gen. xiv. 5. 

ASIA. (1.) One of the four 
continents. (2.) Asia Minor,* 
lying between the Propontis 
and Euxine, on the north 5 and 
the Mediterranean on the 
south 5 peopled by the off- 
spring of Japheth. Peter, (1 
Epis. i. 1,) speaking of Asia 
in connection with Pontus, 
Cappadocia, &c, probably 
means Proconsular Asia, 
which included Phrygia, My- 
sia, Caria, and Lydia, and 
comprised the seven churches 
to which John wrote. Asia 
Minor was anciently parcelled 
out into many small sovereign- 
ties, which first became sub- 
ject to Persia; then to the 
Greeks, under Alexander ; and 
then to the Romans. From 
the Romans it was wrested by 
the Saracens. The ancient 
capital was Mysia,but the Ro- 
mans made Ephesus the seat 
of their government, which 
they administered first by a 
praetor, and afterward by a 
proconsul. The Saracens 
were after 300 years supplant- 

* ' Asia in the New Testament 
is a.\> lys taken for Asia Minor." 
Whitby. 

" Asia, one of the largest divis- 
ions of the Old World, is not men- 
tioned in the Old Testament. In 
the New Testament, it is always 
taken for Jisia Minor, as it in- 
cludes Proconsular Asia." 

Horne's Introd. 



ed by the Turks, under whose 
cruel bondage this fine coun- 
try has been reduced almost 
to a desert. A revolution 
commenced a. d. 1821, which, 
through the intervention of 
European powers, has ter- 
minated in rendering Greece 
somewhat independent. 

This is thought by some to 
be the country called Isles 
of the Sea, in Old Testament 
prophec.es. Isaiah xlii. 4. 
Flourisning churches were 
planted here by the apostles, 
some of which remain till this 
day, but in a deplorable con- 
dition. 

AS-'KELON, a noble sea- 
port of the Philistines, between 
Gaza and Ashdod. It was 
the birthplace of Herod the 
Great. In the time of the 
crusades, it became an im- 
portant post, and was greatly 
improved as well as fortified 
by Richard I. of England. It 
is now a wretched village, 
called Scalona, or Scaloii. 

ASS, a well-known animal 
of the horse kind, which was 
the principal beast of burden 
among the Jews. 

The wild ass is a far more 
stately and fleet animal than 
the domestic. It is called by 
the Greeks Onager. They 
were once common in Pales- 
tine and Syria, &c. They 
inhabit the mountains of Tar- 
tary, whence they migrate in 
great herds, at the approach 
of winter, into Persia and In- 
dia. Ancient princes rode oh 
asses decorated pompously. 



ASS 



27 



AZO 



Our Saviour assumed the 
style of royalty by riding on 
an ass, but in great meekness, 
and with no pomp but the 
spontaneous effusions of the 
people. 

ASSOS, a city of Mysia 
opposite Adramyttium. Acts 
xx. 13. 

ASSURE ivOE, a firm con- 
fidence. Whei Christians pos- 
sess a strong - anu steadfast be- 
lief of God's grace in his Son 
Jesus, and whojly confide in 
him for salvation, it is called 
the u full assurance of faith." 
Heb. x. 22. " The full assur- 
ance of hope" is an undoubt- 
ing expectation of future bless- 
edness. Hebrews vi. 11. All 
Christians do not enjoy the 
grace of assurance, but all are 
commanded to obtain it. 2 
Cor. xiii.5. Heb. vi. 11. 1 
Thess. v. 21. Some have cer- 
tainly enjoyed it. Job. xix. 
25. Ps. xvii. 15. 2 Tim. i. 12. 
The only proof of its genuine- 
ness is a holy life. 1 John ii. 
3, and iii. 14. 

ASSYR'IA, an ancient 
kingdom, the boundaries of 
which varied greatly in dif- 
ferent ages ; but which is 
generally described as having 
Armenia on the north, Persia 
on the cast and south, and the 
Tigris on the west. It was 
founded by Ninus, who began 
his reign, according to Usher, 
a.m. 2737, during the period 
that Deborah judged Israel. 
Its chief city was Nineveh. 
Under Tiglath Pileser, and 
his immediate successors, Sal- 



mancser, Sennacherib, Esa?'» 
haddon, &c, it was a power- 
ful kingdom, 1 Chron. v. 26, 
\>v. vas afterward annexed to 
Fers.a. It is now a desolate 
country, and infested with 
robbers. Its present name is 
Curdistan. 

ASTROL'OGERS, per- 
sons who pretended to fore- 
tell events by the stars. 

ATH'ENS, a very cele- 
brated city of Greece, built 
more than 1200 years before 
the birth of Christ. Cicero 
says its inhabitants perfected 
all learning and eloquence, 
and that from them humanity, 
learning, religion and laws 
were dispersed throug-b the 
whole world ; but he adds, 
" they only knew what was 
right, for they would nut oo 
it." Plutarch says they were 
suspicious and vain-glorious. 
See what Paul says, Acts 
xvii. 16—22. It produced 
Solon, Socrates, Aristides, 
Demosthenes, &c, besides 
many renowned generals. 

ATONEMENT. The sat- 
isfaction made by Christ to 
divine justice, by his obe- 
dience and sufferings. The 
word thus rendered is more 
commonly translated recon- 
ciliation. It is by faith that 
man, convinced of sin, looks 
to the merits and death of 
Jesus Christ, and, through the 
operation of the Holy Spirit, 
obtains pardon, peace, and 
holiness. Rom. v. 10. 

AZO'TUS, a city in the 
tribe of Dan. Acts viii. 40. It 



BAA 



BAB 



was formerly Ashdod of the 
Philistines, where the ark of 
God triumphed over Dagon. 
1 Sam. v. 2. 



B. 



BA'AL, or Bel, signifies 
lord, and perhaps, in the ear- 
liest ages, was a name applied 
to the true God. Afterward 
the sun seems to have been 
worshipped under this title. 
It was a very common name 
of the male idols among east- 
ern nations, as Ashtaroth, or 
Astarte, was of their female 
deities. The Moabites, Phoe- 
nicians, Assyrians, Chaldeans, 
and frequently the Hebrews, 
had their Baal, which, from 
his place of worship, or sup- 
posed office, had often distin- 
guishing epithets annexed ; as 
Baal-berith, Baal-peor, Baal- 
zebub, &c. Often this name 
Baal was a part of the names 
of persons and cities, perhaps 
to signify that the most of 
them were dedicated to his 
service. This the pious He- 
brews sometimes turned into 
Bosheth,which signifies shame; 
thus Jerubbaal is turned into 
Jerubosheth, Judg. vi. 32. 2 
Sam. xi. 21 3 Eshbaal into Ish- 
bosheth 3 Meribaal into Me- 
phibosheth. Baal is oft named 
Baalim, in the plural, because 
there were many Baals 3 or, at 
least, many images of him. 
Every sort of abominations 



was committed on the festi- 
vals of this idol, and of Ash- 
taroth, his mate. In his tem- 
ples was kept a perpetual fire 3 
and altars were erected to him 
in groves, high places, and on 
the tops of houses. Jer. xxxii. 
35. 2 Kings xvii. 16. The 
origin of this idolatry is very 
ancient. The Moabites begun 
their worship of Baal before 
the days of Moses. The He- 
brews began theirs in his time. 
Num. xxii. 41. Psalm cvi. 28. 
They relapsed into that idol- 
atry after the death of Joshua, 
and under the judges Ehud, 
Gideon, and Jephthah. Judg. 
ii. 13. iii. 7. vi. 2^. x. 6. 
Human sacrifices were offer- 
ed on some occasions. Jer. 
xix. 5. Samuel seems to have 
quite abolished the worship 
of this idol from Israel. 1 
Sam. vii. 4. But Ahab and 
Jezebel, above 200 years after- 
ward, revived it in all its abom- 
inations 3 450 priests were ap- 
pointed to attend his service, 
and nearly as many for Ash- 
taroth. It was often revived 
in succeeding generations, till 
after the captivity, and the 
establishment of synagogues, 
since which the Jews have 
not been addicted to idolatry 
Greek and Roman authors 
give the name Jupiter Belus 
to the Bel worshipped at Bab- 
ylon, and which may have 
meant the planet Jupiter. 

BABEL. In the year of 
the world 1758, that is, 102 
years after the flood, mankind 
being all of oi*e language and 



BAB 



29 



BAB 



religion; they agreca to erect 
a tower of prodigious extent 
and height. Their design 
was not to secure themselves 
against a second deluge, or 
they would have built their 
tower on a high mountain j 
but to get themselves a fa- 
mous character, and to pre- 
vent their dispersion by the 
erection of a monument which 
should be visible from a great 
distance. No quarries being 
found in that alluvial soil, 
they made bricks for stone, 
and used slime for mortar. 
Their haughty and rebellious 
attempt displeased the Lord j 
and after the) 7 had worked, it 
is said, twenty-two years, he 
confounded their language. 
This effectually stopped the 
building, procured it the name 
of Babel, or Confusion, and 
obliged the offspring of Noah 
to disperse themselves, and 
replenish the world. 

BAB'YLON, the name of 
the capital city of Chaldea, 
and which is often given to 
the whole empire. Isa. xii. 
9 — 11. It was a city of as- 
tonishing magnificence, built 
perfectly square, with the 
streets running at right angles. 
The Euphrates ran through 
the midst, from north to south. 
The statue of Jupiter Belus, 
in the great temple here, is 
thought to have been the same 
that Nebuchadnezzar erected 
in the plain of Dura. Dan. 
iii. The famous " hanging 
gardens," as they are termed, 
did not hancr literally but 
* 3* 



were a succession of terraces 
raised on arches of increasing 
height, till they reached the 
level of the top of the city 
wall, which was 350 feet high. 
Nimrod founded this city 3 
Belus enlarged it j and Neb- 
uchadnezzar perfected and 
beautified it. During the 
reign of this monarch, Judea 
was annexed to the territory 
of Babylon, and all the nobles 
and chief men withdrawn 
thence, and settled in Baby- 
lonia. This occurred about 
a. m. 3420, and is called in 
Jewish history the Babylonish 
Captivity. Babylon was after- 
ward captured and ravaged 
by Cyrus, a.m. 3468 5 and was 
subsequently still more injured 
by Darius and Xerxes. In 
the time of our Saviour, it 
had been wholly abandoned. 
The course of the Euphrates 
is now changed, and the spot 
on which Babylon stood can- 
not be found ! See Isa. xiii. 
xiv. xxi. xlvi. and xlvii. Jer. 
1. The striking accomplish- 
ment of prophecy in the con- 
quest, decline, and desolation 
of Babylon, is shown in a very 
interesting manner, by Rollin, 
in his Ancient History, Vol. 
II. 

A chief cause of the total 
ruin of Babylon, was the 
building of Seleucia, 45 miles 
southward, on the banks of 
the Tigris. This city was 
sometimes called New Baby- 
lon. It became the capital of 
Babylonia, and in time utterly 
supplanted the old city. Here 



BAC 



30 



BAL 



the famous Babylonish Tal- 
mud* was compiled. It 
dwindled into insignificance 

about the days of our Saviour, 
and finally fell into ruins. 
The present city of Bagdad 
stands upon its site. It was 
founded a. d 762, by the Sar- 
acens, ami continued to be 
the seat of their caliphs, for 
500 years. It then experi- 
enced various changes, till 
a. v. 1638, when it fell into the 
hands of the Turks, who still 
retain it. Though greatly 
reduced from the splendor 
and size it had, when under 
the Saracens, it still en- 
joys a great trade, especially 
to Persia ; and a popula- 
tion of 20,000 inhabitants. 
The (» reeks and Catholics 
have convents here. 

Babylon the Great, 
is a symbolical term, used in 
the New Testament, chiefly 
in the Revelations j generally 
considered to mean Rome, 
1 Pel, v. 13, or the popish 
church and kingdom, Rev. 
xvi. xvii. and xviii. 

BACA, the mulberry-tree 5 
a valley so called, Ps. Ixxxiv. 
7, where this tree abounded 
which grows in dry places. 
The hXX render it the val- 
ley qf weeping) and the Latin 
Vulgate (he valley of tears. It 
does not seem to mean any 

* The Jews have two Taimuds , 
one of Jerusalem, the other of 
Babylon, so called from the places 
where they were written. These 
are compilations or" their tradition- 
ary Uvd with comments. 



particular valley, but any 
rough, tedious, desert place. 
Those who, " passing - the val- 
ley of Baca, make it a well," 
mean either those who, in com- 
ing- up to the annual festivals, 
esteem the saddest part of 
their journey pleasant, in their 
longing- for the courts of the 
Lord, or who, to facilitate fu- 
ture travellers, dig wells or 
pools to be filled by the rains 

BACKSLIDER, one who 
gradually falls back from his 
religious ardor and engage- 
ments. When this becomes 
total, it is called apostasy. 
Prov. xiv. 14. Jer. viii. 5. 
For a full and searching ex- 
hibition of the scriptural symp- 
toms, causes and remedy of 
backsliding, see the Back- 
slider, by Mr. Fuller. 

BADGER, the name of a 
well-known animal, which is 
mentioned many times in the 
Old Testament. The word 
literally means hyacinth, or 
violet color. The probabili- 
ty is, that the badger is not 
meant in any of the passages 
where the word is found. Its 
skin is not suitable for cover- 
ing a tent, nor for making 
shoes, Ezek. xvi. 10. It in- 
habits cold countries, and is 
not found in Arabia. The 
great probability is, that, as 
Rosenmuller and others con- 
tend, the seal is meant. Ex. 
xxvi. 14. Numb. iv. 6 — 25. 

BA'LAAM, an ancient 
prophet, who became very 
wicked, and practised incan- 
tations. Numb. xxii. xxitf 



BAP 



31 



BAP 



xxiv. He counselled Mc-ab 
to seduce Israel to sin, that 
they might bring - that curse 
on themselves which he could 
not inflict. Numb. xxxi. 16. 
To be anxious to get gain, 
even by wickedness, is called 
"the way of Balaam." 2 
Pet. ii. 15. Allowing of un- 
cleanness, is called " the doc- 
trine of Balaam." Rev. ii. 14. 

BALM, a resin or balsam ; 
extracted from the balm-tree, 
which grows in various parts 
of Arabia and Canaan. The 
estimation in which it was 
held as a medical drug, is not 
only apparent from Scripture, 
but Pliny, Strabo, Diodorus 
Siculus, Tacitus, Justin, Soli- 
nus, and others, celebrate its 
/irtues as such. That of 
Gilead was reckoned the best. 
The Arabs sold of it to the 
Egyptians, and the Jews to 
the Tyrians. Gen. xxxvii. 25. 
Ezek. xxvii. 17. Its specific 
gravity is lighter than water. 
The taste is bitter. It is no 
longer cultivated in Pales- 
tine. But so lately as 17GG, 
Mariti saw it growing in the 
plain of Jericho, and describes 
the process of obtaining the 
balsam. 

BAND, literally "a cord," 
any tie j also, a company of 
soldiers j when applied to the 
Roman divisions, it means the 
thirtieth part of a legion. 

BAPTISM. 1. A Chris- 
tian ordinance, in which is re- 
presented the Washing away of 
our guilt and renovation of our 
hie, through a crucified, bu- 



ried and risen Saviour. Rom. 
vi. 3, 4, 11. 

2. The entire engrossing of 
the apostles and others in 
the primitive church, by the 
divine Spirit, which /died the 
place where they were, and by 
which they received miracu- 
lous endowments. This spe- 
cies of baptism is not now 
enjoyed by Christians, as is 
evinced by their not possess- 
ing the powers which always 
accompanied it. 

3. Overwhelming afflictions 
or trials. Matt. xx. 22. Luke 
xii. 50. 

" Baptism for the dead," 
that is, a submission to this 
rite in behalf of the dead, was 
practised, it is thought, by the 
Marcionites,* in the days of 
the apostles. This sect de- 
nied the resurrection of the 
body, and Paul is thought to 
turn his argument against 
them by his question, 1 Cor. 
xv. 29. 

BAPTIZE. 1. To im- 
merse. 2. To wash, cleanse, 
or purify by immersion. The 
word has been incorporated 
into our language by the trans- 
lators of the Bible, the Greek 
word being retained, with ac 
English termination. Had the 
word been translated into 
plain English, there would 
now perhaps be no controver- 

* Followers of Marcion, a 
Christian teacher of the second 
century, who, being disappointed 
in his hopes of ecclesiastical pre- 
ferment ot Rome, united witb 
Cerdo in establishing anew Met 



BDE 



32 



BEE 



sy on the mode of baptism. 
Matt, xxviii. 19. John iv. 2. 
Acts ii. 41. viii. 12. ix. 18. 
x. 47, &c. 

BARBARIAN; literally "a 
stranger ;" a term used by the 
Greeks, Romans, and Jews, 
respectively, to designate all 
those belonging" to other na- 
tions. It contains no implica- 
tion (as used in Scripture) of 
savage nature or manners in 
those to whom it is applied. 
Acts xxviii. 4. 

BARLEY, a well-known 
grain, now used principally 
for malt liquor, but anciently 
for cattle, and to make coarse 
bread. 1 Kings iv. 28. 2 Kings 
iv. 22. John vi. 8—10. It is 
still used very generally for 
the latter purposes in Wales. 

BARTHOLOMEW, lite- 
rally " the son of Ptolemy/' 
one of the twelve. Matt. x. 3. 
It is thought he preached the 
gospel in the Indies. He is 
probably the same with Na- 
thaniel. John i.46, andxxi.2. 

BA'SHAN, orBATAN/EA, 
one of the most fruitful coun- 
tries in the world, lying chief- 
ly within the lot of Manasseh, 
eastward of Jordan. Numb, 
xxxii. 33. Besides villages, it 
contained sixty fenced cities. 
It was peculiarly famous for 
its rich pasture, excellent 
flocks and herds, and stately 
oaks. Ezek. xxxix. 18. 

BATH, a Hebrew measure 
containing one tenth part of a 
homer, i.e. 7 or 8 gall. It seems 
to be the same as the Epha. 

BDEL'LIUM is usually 



considered to be a fragrant 
gum produced in the East. 
Bochart considers it to be the 
pearl ; Reland calls it cr, ■ 
tal. Gen. ii. 12. Numb. xi."7. 

BEASTS were divided, by 
the ceremonial law, into clean 
and unclean. The former 
were all those which had the 
hoof parted in the middle and 
chewed the cud. Lev. xi. 34 
This distinction, it is thought, 
prevailed even before the 
flood. The clear fat of all 
beasts was forbidden as food, 
as was the blood in all cases, 
on pain of death. For this 
last reason, animals which 
had died of themselves, or 
been strangled,were not eaten, 
nor those which had been torn 
by impure beasts. Lev. xi. 

BED means, when used in 
reference to wealthy persons 
in eastern nations, a divan 
extending across one end of 
a room, used as a sofa by 
day and a bed by night. The 
poor have a light matress, or 
more generally a mere mat j 
and very often sleep on the 
ground itself. 

BEEL'ZEBUB, the prince 
of flies, or god of Ekron, 
worshipped as having power 
over all hurtful insects. The 
name is applied in the New 
Testament to Satan. Matt, 
x. 25. xii. 24. Luke xi. 15 — 
19. 

BEER'SHEBA, a city in 
the southern extremity of Ca- 
naan, as Dan was in the 
northern. Hence the expres- 
sion " from Dan to Beershe- 



BEL 



33 



EER 



ba," which often occurs in the 
Bible, meant the whole land. 

BEETLE, a genus of in- 
sects, of which there are many 
species. The Egyptians paid 
it divine honors, and we still 
find its image on their obe- 
lisks. It is mentioned only in 
Lev. xi. 22. 

BE'HEMOTH. Sacred 
critics are not agreed whether 
this is the elephant or hip- 
popotamus ; the probability 
seems to lean toward the for- 
mer. Elephants are so often 
exhibited through the country, 
that it is needless to describe 
them here. 

BEIROOT, or Bayrout, 
is a place which, though not 
mentioned in Scripture, de- 
serves a place here, from its 
having become the chief seat 
of the American mission to the 
Holy Land. It is a seaport 
on the Mediterranean, 14 
miles north-east of Sidon, and 
137 miles north from Jerusa- 
lem 3 and has 8,000 inhabit- 
ants. The Roman Catholics 
have long maintained a mis- 
sion here, as they have also in 
many other parts cf this coun- 
try. 

BELIAL, literally " a wick- 
ed, headstrong man." An ap- 
pellation of Satan. 

BELIEVE, to have a firm 
trust and confidence in the 
truth of a report. To believe 
the gospel, is to have a full 
persuasion of the divine au- 
thority of its doctrines, and a 
determined resolution, by the 
grace of God, to obey its pre- 



cepts ; — to receive, and rely 
upon Christ for life and salva 
tion. John i. 12. Rom. ix. 33. 
A bare assent to gospel truths 
is sometimes called belief. 
Acts viii. 13. 

BELSHAZ'ZAR, a profli- 
gate king of Babylon, who 
reigned 17 years, and was 
killed by some soldiers of Da- 
rius, on the night of his guilty 
feast. Dan. v. His kingdom 
thenceforth passed over to 
the Medes and Persians. 

BE RE' A, a city of Mace- 
donia, very populous in the 
days of Paul. Acts xvii. It 
now bears the name of Ve- 
ria. 

BERNI'CE, the daughter 
of Agrippa the Great. She 
was first betrothed to Mark, 
son of Alexander, governor 
of the Jews at Alexandria. 
She however married her own 
uncle, Herod, king of Chai- 
cis. After his death, she mar- 
ried Po lemon, king of Pontus, 
but abandoned him, and, re- 
turning to Agrippa her broth- 
er, lived with him in incest. 
They sat with pomp to hear 
Paul preach. Acts xxv. 

BER'YL, a precious stone, 
resembling in many points the 
emerald. Its size varies ex- 
ceedingly.some being not larg- 
er than a hair, while some, have 
been found a foot long, and 3 
or 4 inches in diameter. The 
ordinary size is about that of 
a large pea. The color is a 
fine blue, often bordering on 
green. In its perfect state, it 
is about as hard as the garnet. 



BET 



3<4 



BEW 



Found chiefly in the East In- 
dies and South America. 

BESTEAD, an obsolete 
word for conditioned or dis- 
posed. Isa. viii. 21. 

BETHANY, a village two 
miles east from Jerusalem, on 
the road to Jericho. 

BETHEL, literally "the 
house of God." The place 
which was so named by Ja- 
cob, Genesis xxviii. 19, was 
where Abram had pitched his 
tent. Gen. xii. 8. Jacob after- 
ward resided here. Gen. xxxv. 
6. It afterward became the 
site of an important city. 
Though it was called Luz 
when Abram dwelt there, Mo- 
ses called it Bethel, because 
in his day it was only known 
by that name. It was about 
10 miles north of Jerusalem. 

BETHES'DA, a pool on 
the east of Jerusalem. The 
name signifies " a house of 
mercy ;" so called because a 
public bath was here erected, 
or because God graciously be- 
stowed healing virtue on the 
pool. As it lay near the tem- 
ple, the sacrifices might be 
washed in it j but it did not 
thence derive its virtue. John 
v. 9. 

BETH'HORON, a city 12 
miles north-west from Jeru- 
salem. 

BETH'LEHEM, "the house 
of bread," a city of Judah, 
about six miles south of Jeru- 
salem. It is also called Eph- 
ratah and Ephrath, its inhab- 
itants Ephrathites, from its 
founder. It was considerable 



only for giving birth to Ibzan, 
Elimelech, Boaz, David, and 
chiefly to the Messiah. Mic. 
v. 2. It is said now to con- 
tain more than 1000 inhabit- 
ants, the most of whom are 
nominal Christians. Its pres- 
ent name is Beet-la-hm. 

BETH'PAGE, " a place of 
figs," a small village belong- 
ing to the priests. It was hard 
by Bethany, and nearly two 
miles east of Jerusalem. Here 
our Saviour obtained the ass 
for his lowly triumph. Matt 
xxi. 1. 

BETHSA'IDA, literally, 
u a place of fishing;" a city of 
Galilee, on the west coast of 
the sea of Tiberias. It was 
the residence of Philip, An- 
drew, and Peter. John i. 44. 
It had a wo pronounced a- 
gainst it by Christ, and was 
one of the first places ravaged 
by the Romans. Matt. xi. 21. 
It :s now called Batsida. 
Some think there was another 
place of this name, on the op- 
posite coast, near the entrance 
of the Jordan. 

BETH'SHEAN, a ci 
west of the Jordan, known 
ancient geography as Scyth 
polis — but now called Bysan, 
and containing only 70 or 80 
houses. 

BETROTH, to contract 
marriage. It was often done 
by parents for young children 
without their consent, and 
sometimes preceded the nup- 
tials many years. 

BEWITCH', to practise 
sorcery UDon, to mislead bj 



ce 

! 



BIR 



35 



BIS 



delusive pretences. Gal.iii. 1. 
See Sorcerer. 

BEWRAY 7 , to betray, to 
expose, or make visible. 

BIBLE. This wo/d, which 
does not occur in Scripture, 
means literally The Book. 
An excellent article on this 
word is found in Buck's 
Theological Dictionary. See 
Scripture. 

BIRDS were created on 
the fifth day. Like all other 
creatures, they are wonderful- 
ly adapted to their mode of 
life. Such as chiefly fly, have 
very large wings. Such as 
wade in the mud, have long" 
legs bare of feathers. Such 
as swim, have webbed feet. 
Such as bore trees for insects, 
have strong round bills. Such 
as live on prey, have crooked 
bills, to tear flesh. Such as rise 
high in the air, have eyes capa- 
ble of seeing the smallest worm 
from a great height. Such 
as grope for their food in the 
mud, where it cannot be seen, 
have flat bills with the nerves 
running down to the very end, 
so that they have as delicate 
a sense of feeling there, as we 
have in our fingers. Many 
other proofs of the wisdom 
and goodness of God are 
found in the study of ornithol- 
ogy, as this subject is called. 
Birds are classed by natural- 
ists by referring to their bills, 
feet, &,c. Under the Jewish 
dispensation, they were divid- 
ed into clean and unclean. 
It may be observed in gener- 
al, that such as fed on grain 



or seeds, were clean, while 
such as ate flesh, fish, or car- 
rion, were prohibited. The 
following is a list of the un- 
clean : the rest were allowed 
to be eaten. The modern 
names are given on the au- 
thority of the editor of CaJ 
met's Dictionary. 

Birds of the Air. 



Eagle, 


Eagle. 
Vulture. 


Ossifrage, 


Ospray, 


Black Eagle 


Vulture, 


Hawk. 


Kite, 


Kile. 


Raven, 


Raven. 


Birds of the Land. 


Owl, 


Ostrich. 


Night Hawk, 


Night Owl. 


Cuckoo, 


Saf-saf. 


Hawk, 


Ancient Ibis 


Birds of 


the Water. 


Little Owl, 


Sea Gull. 


Cormorant, 


Cormorant. 


Great Owl, 


Ibis Ardea. 


Swan, 


Wild Goose 


Pelican, 


Pelican. 


Gier Eagle, 


Alcvone 


Stork, 


Stork. 


Heron, 


Longneck. 


Lapwing, 


Hoopoe. 


Unique. 


Bat, 


Bat. 



BIRTHRIGHT, the par 

ticular privileges enjoyed in 
most countries by the first-bora 
son. In eastern countries, 
especially where polygamy 
exists, the privileges are im- 
portant. In patriarchal ages 
they were still greater, giving 
a sort of dominion and priest- 
hood to the possessor. 

B'SHOP, a shepherd, or 
overseer. In the New Tes- 



BIT 



36 



BLA 



tament, the word means a 
spiritual overseer, having the 
charge of souls, to instruct and 
guide them by the word. It 
seems to be synonymous with 
Elder j or Presbyter. Acts 
xx. compare the 17th and 20th 
verses. Titus i. 5 — 7. 1 Pet. 
v. 1, 2. The word is applied 
to Christ himself. 1 Pet. ii. 25. 
BITHYN'IA, a province c o 
the south of the Euxine Sea, 
west of Pontus and Galatia, 
north of Asia Proper, and 
east of the Propontis, suppos- 
ed to have been settled by 
Thracians. It was formerly 
called Mygdonia. It was 
famed in the time of the Ar- 
gonautic expedition,* which 
might be during the reign 
of Rehoboam, if not earlier. 
The metropolis was Nicome- 
dia, a city famous not only 
under the kings ofBithynia, 
but also under the emperors 
of Rome, particularly Diocle- 
tian, who had a palace there, 
the destruction of which by 
fire occasioned the tenth, gen- 
eral persecution of Christians. 
Its other important cities were 
Prusa, Libyssa and Therma. 
Chalcedon, an ancient city in 
this country, situated on the 

* The Argonautic expedition is 
an era in ancient history rendered 
important by the frequency of ref- 
erence made to it by early writers. 
Sir Isaac Newton labored to as- 
certain the exact date of it, and 
thence to rectify and settle all an- 
cient chronology. A sufficient ac- 
count of this voyage may be found 
in Gillies' History of Greece, or 
any Encyclopedia, under the word 



Bosphorus, which divided Eu- 
rope from Asia, was famous 
for the council which met in 
it, and condemned the Euty 
chian heresy. At Nice, ano- 
ther of its distinguished cities, 
one of the most celebrated ot 
all Christian councils, was 
held, a. D. 325. At a very 
early period, Christianity was 
here planted, and a number of 
Jews and others believed. 1 
Pet. i. 1. Pliny, who describ- 
ed the character of Chris- 
tians, was governor here about 
A. d. 106. Historians trace a 
church here for 1000 years 
after Christ. Indeed, there are 
still a few Christians in the 
place. It is now called Beck- 
sangil, and sometimes Bur 
sia. 

BIT'TERN, a fowl of the 
heron kind. It is common in 
fenny countries, skulks among 
the reeds and sedges} and 
ordinarily stands with its neck 
and beak straight upward. It 
suffers people to come very 
near it 5 and if unable to es- 
cape, will strike at them. It 
flies mostly in the dusk of the 
evening, and makes a plain- 
tive noise among the reeds. 
Nineveh and Babylon became 
a possession for the bittern, 
when the spot was partly 
turned into a fen or pool of 
water. Isa. xiv. 23, and xxxi. 
11. Zeph. ii. 14. 

BLASPHEME, to reproach 
and revile God, by denying 
or ridiculing his perfections, 
word, or ordinances, and by 
ascribing to him any thing 



BOA 



37 



BON 



Dase or sinful. Tit. ii. 5. Rev. 
xiii. 6. What the unpardon- 
able blasphemy against the 
Holy Ghost is, has been much 
controverted. The occasion 
of Christ's mentioning it, Matt. 
xii. 21 — 31, has induced many 
to think that it consists only 
in ascribing his miracles to 
diabolical influence ; but when 
we consider, also, Heb. vi. 4, 
5, and x. 26 — 30, it appears 
that an obstinate and mali- 
cious rejection of Christ, and 
salvation through him, not- 
withstanding strong convic- 
tions of the Holy Ghost, is an 
unpardonable sin. 

BLESS, to make happy, 
which, properly, is the act of 
God alone, the author of every 
blessing. God blesses, es- 
pecially, by the rich provision 
which he has made in his glo- 
rious plan of redemption, in 
the supplies of his grace, and 
by the gifts of his Holy Spirit, 
whereby man is enabled to 
serve him acceptably in this 
world, and to receive a meet- 
ness for that eternal inherit- 
ance in heaven, where he will 
be perfectly happy in the en- 
joyment of God forever. This 
word is often used in an infe- 
rior sense, and man is said to 
bless God, when, with a grate- 
ful heart, he praises him for 
benefits received, and lives to 
his glory. He maybe said to 
bless his fellow creatures, when 
he wishes them every good, 
and uses his best endeavors 
lo promote their happiness. 
BOANER'GES, sons of 



thunder. The sons of Zeb- 
edee are called so because 
vehement in their feelings, and 
powerful in their preaching. 
Mark iii. 17. 

BODY, the material part of 
man. The term is used in 
Scripture to denote an organ- 
ized system of any kind. Hence 
we read of the body of sin 1 , 
which is to be put off when 
baptized into the death of 
Christ. This circumstance is 
to be remembered in order 
to understand much of the 
figurative language of Paul 
relative to Christian expe- 
rience and sanctification. It 
signifies, also, the church of 
God, which is the mystical 
body of Christ. 1 Cor. x. 17. 
Col. i. 18. In the Lord's sup- 
per, the bread is called the 
body of Christ, that is, the rep- 
resentation of his body, and 
is received as a memorial of 
his sufferings, and the pledge 
of all the benefits purchased 
by his death. 

BOLL'ED, a word which 
occurs but once in the Bible, 
viz. Ex. ix. 31, " The flax was 
boiled," which seems to mean 
that it was nearly ripe, and 
the round seed-vessels fully 
developed. 

BONNET, a covering for 
the head of the Hebrew 
priests, made of linen, some- 
what in the form of a turban. 
That of the high priest was 
adorned with gold and fronted 
with the plate inscribed " Ho- 
liness to the Lord." Ex. 
xxviii. 40. 



BOO 



38 



BOO 



BOOK, a volume written 
or printed. The different 
parts of Scripture are 
called books. They 
were at first written 
and circulated sepa- 
rately, somewhat as 
tracts are now. For- 
merly plates of lead and 
copper, the bark of 
trees, thin bricks, stone, 
and wood, were used 
to write upon. Hesiod's 
works were written on 
lead ; God's law on stone 5 and 
the laws of Solon on planks. 
When these last were used, 
they were generally covered 
with a thin coat of wax, for 
ease both in writing and in 
blotting out, which explains 
the expression of David when 
he prays that his sins may be 
blotted out as a cloud, i. e. the 
record of them. Palm leaves, 
being more convenient as to 
bulk and portableness, were 
afterward made into books, 
and are still so used in In- 
dia. Then the thin inner 
bark of trees, especially the 
elm 5 henoe the Latin word 
liber (the inner bark of a tree) 
means also a book. After- 
wards the Papyrus, or " pa- 
per reed/' was used. Isaiah 
xix. 7. Parchment was after- 
ward invented in Pergamos. 
Books of these two last sub- 
stances were rolled on sticks 
like cloth, and hence the 
word volume, from the Latin 
word volvo, to roll. It was 
held and read in the manner 



I here shown. A book thus 
( rolled might have several seals , 




so that a person might break 
one and read till he came to 
another, whereas if one of 
our books had several seals, 
all would be broken if one 
were. This peculiarity in an 
cient volumes explains Rev. v. 
Paper, such as we now use ; was 
invented about nine hundred 
years ago, and printing was 
invented about four hundred 
years ago. See Paper. 

BOOK of Life signifies 
God's recognition of his peo- 
ple, and his secure remem- 
brance of them, and is an al- 
lusion to the registers kept in 
cities of the names of all the 
regular citizens. Phil. iv. 3. 
Honorable persons, not citi- 
zens, were sometimes entered 
here, which was giving the 
freedom of the city. Vaga- 
bonds and disorderly persons 
had their names erased. Rev. 
iii. 5. 

BOOTH, a shelter general 
ly made of forked poles driven 
into the ground, covered with 
green boughs. Lev . xxiii. 42. 



BOW 



39 



BRA 



During the feast of taberna- 
cles, the Jews resorted to the 
country, and set up booths. 
Neh. viii. 14. 

BORDER, a fringe or tas- 
sel made of wool, and worn by 
the Jews on their outer gar- 
ments/in order that they might 
be distinguished from the Gen- 
tiles, and be constantly re- 
minded of their laws. Mark 
vi. 56. See Phylacteries. 



BOSSES, the thick, strong 
and sometimes pointed part 
of a shield or buckler. Job 
xv. 2C. 

BOTTLE. Anciently, bot- 
tles were made of leather, as 
glass was unknown. The skin 
of a goat, pulled off whole, 
and the places where the legs 
were being tied up, formed 
a convenient bottle, as shown 
by the engraving. As they 




gprew tender by using, new 
wine, which had not done 
fermenting, could not be safe- 
ly put in them. Matt. ix. 17. 
David in distress compares 
himself to a bottle in the 
smoke, dried up and withered. 
Ps. wrix. 83. 

BOWELS, a word used 
formerly very much as we 



now use the word heart; i. e. 
to represent tenderness, mer- 
cy, &c. 1 Kings iii. 26, &c. 

BOZRAH was a city sit- 
uated to the eastward of 
Bashan. 

BRASS, a word of frequent 
occurrence in the Bible. As 
it is well known that this com- 
pound metal was first made 



&RE 



40 



BUR 



in Germany, only six or seven 
hundred years ago, it seems 
much more proper to trans- 
late the Hebrew word nehest, 
copper. Iron and copper were 
known before the flood. 

BREAD is a word used in 
Scripture for food in general. 
Gen. iii. 19. Ex. ii. 20. Bread 
was made in various ways. 
See Oven. As it was gener- 
ally made by the Jews in thin 
cakes, it was not cut but bro- 
ken, which gave rise to the 
phrase, " breaking of bread," 
to signify eating. See Shew- 

BREAD. 

BREAST-PLATE, a part 
of the high priest's holy ap- 
parel. It was about 10 inch- 
es square, and consisted of 
2 gems, set in gold, each gem 
representing a tribe of Israel. 
They were set in four rows. 
In the uppermost were a sar- 
dius, topaz, and carbuncle, 
for Reuben, Simeon, and Le- 
vi 5 in the second, an emerald, 
sapphire, and diamond, for 
Judah, Dan, and Naphtali ; 
in the third, a ligure, an agate, 
and amethyst, for Gad, Ash- 
er, and Issachar j in the low- 
est, a beryl, onyx, and jasper, 
for Zebulon, Joseph, and Ben- 
jamin. The reader will find 
these stones described under 
their respective names. This 
breast-plate was fastened to 
the embroidered ephod of the 
high priest, so as to hang upon 
his bosom, and was worn only 
om appointed occasions. It 
was called a" memorial," be- 
cause it taught the priest to 



bear his people on his heart 
before God, and reminded the 
people of the blessing of the 
ministry. 

BRIG'ANDINE, an ancient 
kind of mail, worn in battle, 
to secure the soldiers from 
sword cuts. Jer. xlvi. 4. 

BROTHER is a term used 
in Scripture for several kinds 
of relations. Lot, who was 
Abraham's nephew, was called 
brother. So in many other 
instances. 

BULRUSH. See Paper. 

BURNT-OFFERING. A 
" whole burnt-offering" was a 
sacrifice in which the victim 
was wholly consumed on the 
altar. A " burnt-offering " 
was the fat of the intestines 
and kidneys, and the fat tail 
of sheep, burnt after being 
sprinkled with salt. The right 
fore quarter was the portion 
of the priest, and the rest was 
given back to the offerer, who 
commonly ate it as a feast, 
and invited widows, orphans, 
Levites, &c. to partake. 

BURY. The Hebrews 
were careful to bury even 
their enemies. 1 Kings xi. 
15. Ezek. xxxix. 14. The 
troublesome pollution of dead 
bodies required it. To be 
deprived of burial, or cast 
into an unclean place, they 
reckoned a terrible calamity. 
When one died, if his friends 
were able, he was embalmed, 
and, after a proper time, car- 
ried out to his grave j on a 
bier, ii v»«>^r, or on a stately 
bed, \\ idi. Dead bodies 



CiES 



41 



CiES 



were arrayed in clothes j but 
from the resurrection of Laz- 
arus, and other evidence, it 
appears they were not buried 
in coffins, as is the manner 
with us. 

To be " buried with Christ 
in baptism" imports our mor- 
tification of sin, by virtue of 
fellowship with him in his 
death, represented in our bap- 
tism. The apostle would say, 
that just as Christ closed his 
mortal existence, and was 
laid in the tomb, soon to rise 
from thence, and enter on a 
new and glorified state, so 
the baptismal burial of the 
believer is an emblem of his 
renouncing the great purpose 
of his past life, and coming 
forth into a new and more 
exalted state of being. Rom. 
vi. 4. Col. ii. 12. 



C. 

CAB, or Kab, a Hebrew 
measure, containing the 18th 
part of an ephah, equal to our 
quart. 2 Kings vi. 25. In 
giving the capacity of He- 
brew measures, authors are 
followed who seem most rea- 
sonable 5 but it is a subject on 
which, at this distance of 
time, rests great uncertainty. 

CAESAR, a name which, 
after becoming dignified in 
the person of Julius Ccesar, 
was the appellation of his suc- 
cessors on the throne. The 
4# 



emperors mentioned or al- 
luded to by this title in the 
New Testament, are Augus- 
tus, Luke ii. 1 ; Tiberius, 
Luke iii. 1, and xx. 22—25 ; 
Claudius, Acts xi. 28 5 and 
Nero, Acts xxv. 8. The 
reader will do well to look out 
these passages, and where the 
distinctive title is not found 
in the text, to write it in the 
margin of his Bible. It is re- 
markable that Caligula, 
who succeeded Tiberius, is 
not mentioned. 

CJESARE'A is on the 
coast of the Mediterranean, 
about sixty miles from Jeru- 
salem. Anciently it was a 
small town, called Stratonice, 
or the Tower of Strata, anQ 
had an inconvenient, exposed 
harbor. Herod the Great built 
a noble breakwater, enlarged 
and beautified the place, and 
called it Cmsarea, in honor 
of the emperor, his patron. 
Eusebius, the historian, was 
born here. Here Cornelius 
lived, Acts x. 1 ; here Agrip- 
pa was smitten of worms ; 
and here Agabus foretold 
Paul's imprisonment. Acts 
xxi. 10, 11. This is the Caes- 
area mentioned also in the fol- 
lowing places : Acts viii. 40. 
ix. 30. xii. 19. xxi. 8. xxiii. 
23, 33. xxv. 4, 13. It is now 
wholly deserted and desolate} 
and its ruins have long been 
resorted to for building mate- 
rials required at Accho. The 
present name of the place is 
Kaisaria. 
CiESARE'A PKILIPTI 



CAL 



42 



CAM 



stood between Sidon and Da- 
mascus; near the sources of 
the Jordan. It is thought by 
many geographers to be the 
city called Laish, or Dan, in 
the Old Testament. It was 
enlarged and embellished by 
Philip the Tetrarch 5 and 
hence its double name— he 
choosing to honor Tiberius 
Caesar and himself. It was 
the residence of the woman 
healed of the issue of blood. 
Matt. ix. 20. It is now an in- 
considerable village, called 
Banias. 

CAL'AMUS, an exceeding- 
ly fragrant reed or cane ; com- 
mon in the East, and growing 
to the height of two or three 
fdet. Its essence constituted 
one of the ingredients of the 
holy anointing oil. Ex. xxx. 
23. Ezek. xxvii. 19. 

CALLING. (1.) Any law- 
ful employment. 1 Cor vii. 
20. (2.) The general invita- 
tion to repentance, by the 
ministry, by providence, or by 
the motions of the Holy Spir- 
it on the consciences of men, 
whereby they are warned of 
their danger, and taught the 
need of a Saviour. Isa. xxii. 
12. Matt. xxii. 14. (3.) That 
more particular invitation by 
the preaching of the word, 
and effectual operation of the 
Holy Spirit, whereby sinners 
know, believe, and obey the 
gospel. Rom. xi. 29. 

CALVARY, or Golgo- 

\ tha, " the Place of Skulls." 

A small hill, on the north side 

of Mount Zion, so called 



either from its being in the 
shape of a man's head, or be* 
cause it was a place of exe- 
cution, which, among the Ro- 
mans as well as Jews, was 
often done by beheading. 
Jud. ix. 5. Matt. xiv. 10. 
The empress Helena built a 
noble church on this spot, 
which still exists. 

CAMEL, an animal be- 
longing to the same genus as 
the dromedary, lama and pa- 
cos. It is a native of Asia, 
lives between forty and fifty 
years, subsists on poor and 
scanty herbage, endures as- 
tonishing labors and intense 
heat, can go for many days 
without water, and is extreme- 
ly docile and patient. Of the 
coarse part of its hair sack- 
cloth is made, Rev. vi. 12, 
and very coarse raiment, such 
as was worn by John Baptist, 
and is now worn by the Der- 
vishes of the East. Of the 
finest parts, beautiful shawls, 
&c. are made. It is the great 
dependence of the Arabs, for 
food, clothing and labor. No 
other animal could at all sup- 
ply its place. Job, after his 
affliction, had six thousand 
camels. 

CAMP. In the camp of 
the Hebrews in the desert, 
the tabernacle was placed in 
the midst. Moses, Aaron, 
and their families, had their 
tents on the east of it, which 
was considered the front. On 
the south pitched the Kohath- 
ites ; on the west, the Ger- 
shonites} on the north, the 



CAM 



43 



CAN 



Merarites. Thus it was en- 
compassed by the Levites. 
Beyond the tents of Moses 
and the priests on the east, 
was the camp of Judah, to 
which belonged Issachar and 
Zebulon j on the south, of 
Reuben, to which belonged 
Simeon and Gad 3 on the 
west, of Ephraim, with Ma- 
nasseh and Benjamin ; on the 
north, of Dan, with Asher and 
Naphtali. Before commenc- 
ing a march, which was only 
when the cloud moved from 
over the tabernacle, the peo- 
ple had three warnings by the 
silver trumpets 5 one, to pack 
up baggage j a second, to as- 
semble to the standards 5 and 
a third, to begin the march. 
The camp of Judah march- 
ed first ; the tabernacle was 
then taken down ; and the 
Gershonites and Merarites, 
laying the various materials 
on wagons, followed. Next 
the camp of Reuben marched ; 
the Kohathites followed with 
the more sacred furniture of 
the tabernacle on their shoul- 
ders. Next followed the camp 
of Ephraim 5 and that of Dan 
brought up the rear. Numb, 
i. ii. iv. x. 

CAMPHIRE, a white.lrans- 
lucent, vegetable product, of 
a highly fragrant odor, and 
aromatic taste. It is procured 
from two species of trees, one 
of which grows in Japan 5 the 
other, from which the best and 
largest portion of the drug is 
obtained,, grows wild in Bor- 
neo and Sumatra. These 



trees are o the laurel species, 
but of astonishing magnitude, 
some attaining, it is said, a 
height of two hundred feet, 
and prop trtionably thick. 
The blossoms diffuse a power- 
ful and delicious fragrance, 
and are much used to adorn 
baths and dwellings. Turk- 
ish and Egyptian ladies use 
the powder of the dried leaves 
to give a red tinge to their 
nails, a practice of great an- 
tiquity. 

CA'NA. There were two 
places of this name without 
Galilee, one in the tribe of 
Asher, Josh. xix. 28, the other 
in Ephraim, xvi. 8. xvii. 9, 
and one within Galilee, about 
four miles north of Nazareth, 
whence Christ went down to 
Capernaum. John ii. 12. iv. 
46. The latter still exists, 
though a small village, of only 
60 houses. Half of the in- 
habitants are Christians of 
the Oriental Greek church. 

CA'NAAN, the Scripture 
name of what is now called 
Palestine, or the Holy 
Land. Its name was derived 
from Canaan, whose posterity 
settled here, and remained for 
about seven hundred years. 
Becoming enormously cor- 
rupt, they were devoted to 
destruction, and their land 
given to Israel. Its conquest 
is recorded in the book of 
Joshua, &c. after which it was 
called "The land of Israel." 
Its boundaries, as generally 
laid down, are Lebanon on 
the north, Arabia on the east, 



CAN 



44 



CAN 



Idumea on the south, and the 
sea on the west. Under Da- 
vid and Solomon, its extent 
was greatly increased, by the 
conquest of Amnion, Moab, 
Edom, &c. 1 King's iv. 21— 
24. It was a most beautiful 
and fertile country, and the 
Jews multiplied in it to an as- 
tonishing- degree. 

Under Rehoboam, a dread- 
ful rending 1 asunder of the 
kingdom took place, which 
made Judah and Benjamin 
one kingdom, and the remain- 
ing ten tribes another. 1 
Kings xii. Jerusalem con- 
tinued the metropolis of Ju- 
dah and Benjamin ; and this 
kingdom adhered to the true 
God, and his proper worship. 
Samaria became the metrop- 
olis of Israel, and that peo- 
ple worshipped golden calves 
at Bethel and Dan. These 
separate kingdoms were often 
at war, to their unspeakable 
detriment, and were often de- 
vastated by foreign enemies. 
At last, about 721 years be- 
fore Christ, the kingdom of 
Israel was entirely overthrown 
by Shalmaneser, king of As- 
syria, after it had stood about 
two hundred and fifty-four 
years, and has never since 
been restored. Judah surviv- 
ed as a kingdom about one 
hundred and thirty years 
longer, and was then, B. C. 
590, entirely conquered by 
Nebuchadnezzar, king of 
Babylon, who carried away 
with him the most important 
m( the people. 



After a captivity of seventy 
years, they returned gradual- 
ly 3 their temple and city, 
which had laid in ruins, were 
rebuilt, and they enjoyed 
peace as a province of Per- 
sia. When that monarchy 
was overthrown by Alexan- 
der, Judea (as the whole of 
Canaan was then called) sub- 
mitted to the conqueror. Af- 
ter Alexander's death, this 
country was sometimes sub- 
ject to Syria, and sometimes 
to Egypt, and for a time as- 
serted and maintained its in- 
dependence, under John Hyr- 
caiius and his successors. It, 
however,was forced afterward 
to submit to the victorious 
Romans, who divided it into 
provinces, and set over them 
such rulers as they pleased. 
These provinces, at the time 
of Christ, were Judea, Sama 
ria and Galilee. There was 
also a province on the north, 
called Percea, and one on the 
south, called Idumea, which 
were considered as belonging 
to Palestine. It continued 
thus, in possession of much 
peace and prosperity, till the 
spirit of revolt drew on it the 
vengeance of the Romans, 
who, under Titus, destroyed 
Jerusalem, and terminated 
wholly the existence of the 
Jews as a nation. 

Since that period, Israel- 
ites have been found in al- 
most every commercial part 
of the world, and not a few 
have ever continued on the 
soil of their forefathers ; but 



C A P 



45 



CAP 



their once beautiful laud has 
been constantly suffering un- 
der the horrors of servitude 
and frequent wars. The Sar- 
acens, crusaders, Mamelukes, 
and Turks, have ruled it in 
succession ; and under these 
last masters, who have pos- 
sessed it since the year 1317, 
its sterility and desolation 
have constantly increased. Its 
once noble cities are now poor 
villages, and most of its former 
villages are utterly extinct. 

The territory is now divided 
into two districts, viz. Acre, 
comprising the seaboard, and 
Damascus, embracing the 
remainder; each of which 
is governed by a pacha, or 
bashaw. The population is 
now very mixed, consisting 
of Turks, (who hold all the 
chief offices, )Syrians, Bedouin 
Arabs. Jews, Copts, Druses, 
and Christians. The last are, 
generally, Roman Catholics, 
Greeks and Armenians. 
Many monks reside here, 
and most o( the chief towns 
have convents. 

CANE. See Calamus. 
CANTICLES. See Song 
of Solomon. 

CAPER'NAUM, a princi- 
pal city of Galilee. It stood 
on the western shore of the 
Sea of Tiberias, in the border 
of Zebulon and Naphtali, not 
far from Belhsaida. It re- 
ceived its name from a clear 
fountair adjacent. Here 
Christ resided and taught, and 
here Matthew was called. It 
is new called Talhume. 



CAPHTOR is thought bj 
Bochart to be the same as 
Cappadccia; but by Calmet, 
to be Crete. Deut. ii. 13. 

CAPPADO'CIA, a prov- 
ince in the north-eastern part 
of Asia Minor, peopled bj' 
the descendants of Togarmah, 
and once forming part of the 
kingdom of Lydia. It was 
famous for horses, mules and 
flocks ; and traded in these 
with the Tynans. Ezck. xxvii. 
14. According to Herodotus, 
it submitted to the Medes, and 
then to the Persians, parts of 
whose worship the inhabitants 
incorporated with their own 
idolatry. It afterward formed 
part of the vast Roman empire. 
Christianity was introduced 
here in the days of the apos- 
tles, Acts ii. 9, and continues 
to this day. At the village 
of Dacora, in this province, 
was born Eunomius the Arian. 
Some of its early pastors were 
very distinguished for piety 
and learning. 

CAPTIVITY, the state of 
a person who is at the com- 
mand of another. God often 
punished the vices and infidel- 
ity of his people by the differ- 
ent captivities into which they 
were permitted to fall. The 
most remarkable instances 
are the Assyrian captivity, 
2 Kings xviii. 9—12, and the 
Babylonish captivity, Jer. xxv. 
12. It is generally believed, 
that there was no return from 
the former captivity, and that 
the ten tribes never came back 
again after their dispersion 



CAR 



4G 



CAS 



CVirist " led captivity cap- 
tive" Eph. iv. 8 ; that is, our 
Lord, by his victory over 
death, Satan and sin, con- 
quered and triumphed over 
all our spiritual enemies and 
oppressors. Ps. lxviii. 18. 
Rom.vii. 23. 2 Tim. ii. 26. 

CAR'BUNCLE, a precious 
stone of great beauty, next in 
value to the diamond. It is 
rarely found, and (as } T et) only 
in the East Indies. It is of a 
bright red color, shining in the 
dark, commonly of the size 
of a small pea. Ezek. xxviii. 
13. 

CAR'CHEMISH, 2 Chron. 
xxxv. 20, a city of Mesopota- 
mia, thought to be the same 
as the ancient Circesium, the 
modern name of which is Ker- 
kish. 

CARE, anxious thought, or 
extraordinary, cautious con- 
cern. Man's care is lawful 
when he endeavors to please 
God, mourns for his sins, and 
regulates his conduct by the 
word of God 5 when he is con- 
cerned about the welfare of 
others, and solicitous for the 
salvation of their souls 5 or 
when he moderately takes 
thought for the things of this 
present life, resigning himself, 
at the same time, to the will 
of God. 2 Cor. vii. 11, 12. But 
it is unlawful when he is care- 
ful about forbidden things, and 
makes " provision for the flesh 
to fulfil the lusts thereof f 9 or 
when he has a perplexing care 
about lawful things, to the 
neglect of the worship of God, 



and distrust of his providence. 
Phil. iv. 6. 

CARMEL, though general- 
ly spoken of as a single moun- 
tain, is a range of hills, end- 
ing in a promontory, which 
forms the bay of Acre. The 
district was famed for fine tim- 
ber and pasturage. 2 Kings 
xix. 23. The cave is still 
shown, in which it is said Eli- 
jah resided. There was an- 
other Carmel in the lot of Ju- 
dah. Josh. xv. 50. 2 Sam. 
iii. 3. It is now called El 
Kirmel. 

CARNAL. (1.) Things 
belonging to the flesh ; world- 
ly things, such as silver and 
gold, and things needful for 
sustaining the body. Romans 
xv. 27. 1 Cor. ix. 11. (2.) 
Sensual, or governed by sen- 
sual appetites. In this sense 
it is applied to such as are in 
a natural, unregenerated state, 
who are enemies to God, and 
given to sensual pleasures. 
John iii. 6. Rom. viii. 7. The 
ceremonial law is called car- 
nal, because it consisted of 
such rites, ceremonies, ordi- 
nances, as only related to the 
body and the purifying of 
the flesh, but did not reach the 
soul. Heb. ix. 10. 

CARPUS, the friend and 
host of Paul, when he was at 
Troas. 2 Tim. iv. 13. He is 
thought to have been one of 
the seventy disciples. 

CASTOR and POLLUX, 
the fabled sons of Jupiter. 
They were probably heroes 
who cleared the sea of pi 



CEN 



47 



CHA 



rales, and came, in alter 
times, to be worshipped as 
deities. The vessel Paul 
sailed in, Acts xxviii., had 
their figures carved at the 
prow. 

CAUL, a cap, or bag. The 
word is applied to a membrane 
which encloses the heart, Hos. 
xiii. 8, and sometimes to the 
head-dress of females. Isa. 
iii. 18. 

CEDAR, a tree of great 
size and beauty in warm lati- 
tudes, and much celebrated in 
the Scriptures. It is an ever- 
green, of slow growth, and the 
timber it produces does not 
decay when preserved from 
damp. A few yet remain on 
Lebanon. They were former- 
ly found there in great abun- 
dance. 

CE'DRON,or KE'DRON,a 
small brook, rising near Jeru- 
salem, passing through the 
valley of Jehoshaphat, and is- 
suing in the Sea of Sodom. 
As is the case with most 
streams in that country, it is 
a rapid torrent after rains, but 
dry, or nearly so, in the midst 
of summer. 2 Sam. xv. 23. 
Jer. xxxi. 40. John xviii. 1. 

CEN'CHREA, a port of 
Corinth, Acts xviii. 18, situat- 
ed on the eastern side of the 
isthmus. 

CENSER, a pan or urn, in 
which incense was burned. 
It was made in various forms. 
That here represented was 
most common. Where the 
twenty-four elders are said 
to have golden ~ T ^.ls full of 



odors, Rev. v. 8, it seems to 




mean censers, not such vials 
as we now use. 

CENTURION, an officer 
who had the command over a 
hundred soldiers. 

CESARE'A. See CiEs- 

AREA. 

CHALCEDONY, a pre 

cious stone resembling the 
agate. There are several va- 
rieties of this gem. (I.) A 
pale gray or bluish stone / 
found in Saxony, Hungary, 
Iceland, Scotland, and Asiat- 
ic Russia. It seems to have 
been originally obtained from 
Chalcedon in Bithynia,whence 
it derives its name. Rev. xxi. 
17. (2.) A species in which 
a red hue prevails, and which 
is commonly called Cornelian. 
It is found in various coun- 
tries, but chiefly in Arabia, and 
Surat and Cambay in India. 
(3.) There are some with white 
and red alternate stripes,which 
are called onyx stones. 

The names given by mod- 
ern lapidaries to many jewels, 
are so different from their an- 
cient appellations, that it is 
impossible to be certain, in 
all cases, as to those which 
are mentioned in Scripture. 



CH A 



48 



CHE 



CHALDEA, a country in 
Asia, eastward of the north 
part of Judea. Its capital was 
Babylon. It was bounded by 
Mesopotamia on the north, 
and Arabia the Desert on the 
west, the Persian Gulf, and 
part of Arabia Felix, on the 
south. The soil is fertile 3 
but rain seldom falls, some- 
times scarcely any for eight 
months. This deficiency is 
supplied by the annual inun- 
dations of the Tigris and Eu- 
phrates. The inhabitants la- 
boriously water the lands 
which lie too high to be over- 
flowed. Its ancient name was 
Shinar, because the Lord, by 
the confusion of tongues, did, 
as it were, shake the inhabit- 
ants out of it, to people the 
rest of the world. It is now 
called Kaldar. 

CHALDEANS. (1.) The 
inhabitants of Chaldea 5 and 
(2.) A sect of philosophers 
whose employment was to in- 
terpret dreams, and foretell 
future events. 

CHAMOIS, a goat. The 
exact species which is so 
called in the Scriptures, can- 
not now be ascertained. Deut. 
xiv. 5. 

CHAPITER, an ornament- 
al finish to the top of a pillar. 
2 Kings xxv. 17, &c. 

CHARGER, a large dish, 
or, as we should now call it, 
a salver, or waiter. Numb. 
vr. 17. 

CHARITY, a principle of 
love to God, and benevolence 
»o men, which inclines the pos- 



sessor to glorify God, and to 
do good to others. Its distin- 
guishing characteristics may 
be seen, 1 Cor. xiii. The word 
is never used in Scripture to 
mean alms-giving, or an in- 
discriminate regard for other 
denominations, but always 
means love. 

CHARRAN. SeeHARAN. 

CHASTISEMENT, the 
correction of an offender, 
either by word or deed. The 
" chastisement of our peace," 
&c. Isa. liii. 5, signifies that 
punishment which was laid 
upon Christ by God's jus- 
tice, and by which our peace, 
that is, our' reconciliation to 
God, was to be procured. 

CHEERFULNESS, glad- 
ness of heart ; gayety, or live- 
liness of disposition 3 freedom 
from dejection, or gloomy 
thoughts 3 also contentment in 
present circumstances. 

CHE'MOSH, a Moabitish 
idol, supposed by some to be 
the sun, but others have 
thought it was the same as 
Bacchus. 

CHER'ETHITES, Philis- 
tines who were made guards 
to the king, and executioners. 
See Pelethites. 

CHERUB, the singular of 
Cherubim, a word which is of 
doubtful derivation, but seem- 
ing to mean knowledge. It is 
thought by some that the 
Egyptian sphinxes were imi- 
tations of the Hebrew cherubs. 
Grotius, Bochart, and Spen 
cer, suppose they resembled 
an ox or a calf. Others de 



CHR 



49 



CHR 



scribe them as represented in 
a form compounded of a man, 
an eagle, an ox, and a lion. 
Heb. \x. 5. God's riding on 
Cherubim, means his using 1 
them in the dispensations of 
providence. Ps. xviii. 10. His 
dwelling between the Cheru- 
bim, means the presence of 
the Shechinah, or glory over 
the mercy-seat of the ark. 
Ps. Ixxx. 1. 

CHIOS, an island of Greece, 
famous once for its Malmsey 
wine, and more recently for 
its literature. The place was 
almost ruined, and great num- 
bers of its inhabitants were 
massacred by the Turks, in 
the late revolution. Its mod- 
ern name is Scio. Acts xx. 15. 

CHISLEU, the Jews' third 
civil month. See Month. 

CHITTI3I, a country con- 
cerning" the place of which 
there has been much dispute. 
The probability seems to be, 
that it means the islands of 
the Mediterranean, especially 
those of Greece. Josephus 
understands by it the island 
of Cyprus. Numb. xxiv. 24. 

CHIUN, the name of an 
idol, worshipped once by Is- 
rael. It is thought to be Sa- 
turn. Amos v. 26. 

CHORA'ZIN, a city near 
Capernaum. It is now called 
Tell-oui. Matt. xi. 21. 

CHRIST, " the anointed. 11 
The practice of anointing 
priests and kings has been 
common in all ages of the 
world. Our Saviour was 
emphatically "the Anointed 



One," and as such, in his two 
natures, human and divine, per- 
fected a priestly work, which 
saves unto the uttermost all 
that come unto God by him. 
Heb. vii. 25. He never was 
externally anointed, or other 
wise introduced into the out- 
ward priesthood. His unc- 
tion was that of the Holy 
Ghost, of which all outward 
rites were but symbols. At 
the last day, he will judge the 
world. Acts xvii. 31. 2 Tim. 
iv. 1. 

CHRONICLES. Two 
books of Scriptures are so 
called, the writer of which is 
not now known. They are 
evidently compiled under the 
guidance of the Holy Spirit, 
from copious registers and 
documents, which, being unin- 
spired, have not been preserv- 
ed. The first book traces 
the Israelites from Adam 
to David. The second re- 
lates the progress and disso- 
lution of the kingdom of Ju- 
dah, and the return of the 
Jews from the Babylonish 
captivity. The period em- 
braced in the two books is 
about 3468 years. 

CHRYS'OLITE was prob- 
ably the ancient name of the 
gem now called topaz. The 
stone now cailed chrysolite is 
se.dom found larger than a 
pin's head. It was the tenth 
in the breast-plate of Aaron, 
and bore the name of Zeb 
ulon. Rev. xxi. 20. 

CHRYSO'PRASUS,a pre- 
cious stcne of a grass green 



CHU 



50 



CIT 



color, found chiefly in Silesia. 
Rev. xxi. 20. 

CHURCH. The word so 
rendered was anciently used 
to signify any public organ- 
ized meeting of citizens. It 
is thought by many, that the 
place of sacred meeting is 
so called, in 1 Cor. xi. 18, 22, 
xiv. 34. As the word is used 
in the New Testament, it has 
for the most part two significa- 
tions. (1.) The whole of the 
elect in heaven and earth, 
which is Christ's spouse, or 
body, and is what we call the 
invisible church, because we 
cannot now know with cer- 
tainty who belong to it — or 
the catholic, or universal 
church, because it embraces 
the truly pious in all the earth. 
Matt. xvi. 18. 1 Cor. vi. 4. 
Col.i. 18. (2.) A particular 
body of men, who are wont to 
meet together in one place, to 
profess, worship, and serve 
the Lord Christ. Such were 
the churches of Ephesus, 
Smyrna, Jerusalem, Rome, 
&c. Acts viii. 1. Col. iv. 
16. Rev. i. 4. Thus we read 
also of churches in particular 
houses. Rom. xvi. 5. Col. 
iv. 15. The followers of 
Christ, who are here in a state 
of spiritual warfare against the 
world, the flesh, and the devil, 
are called, by theologians, the 
church militant ; but those in 
heaven, whose conquest over 
sin and death is complete, and 
who are rewarded with eter- 
nal blessedness, are styled the 
church triumphant. 



CILICIA, a province od 
the north-eastern extremity of 
the Mediterranean Sea,famous 
on account of Cicero, who 
was its proconsul. In Tarsus, 
its metropolis, Paul was born. 
It produces superior saffron in 
great quantities, and is now 
called Caramania. 

CINNAMON, a species of 
laurel. What is sold in the 
shops under this name, is the 
bark. It was one of the in- 
gredients of the holy oil. 

CIRCUMCISE, to cut off 
the foreskin, according to the 
commandment given to Abra- 
ham, as a sign * of that cove- 
nant which God had entered 
into with him, that out of his 
loins should proceed the Mes- 
siah. To be spiritually cir- 
cumcised, or to be the spiritual 
seed of Abraham, is to have 
the thing signified by thai 
ceremony, and to perform all 
those duties which circum- 
cision was designed to en- 
force-Miamely, to believe in 
the Messiah, to put off the 
old man, and to serve him as 
new creatures, which is sign. • 
fied by our acceptance of the 
ordinances of the gospel, and 
submission to them. Phil, 
iii. 3. 

CITIZEN, in the Old and 
New Testament, generally 
means, not merely an inhab- 
itant or dweller in a city, but 
one admitted to its corporate 
privileges. Citizenship was 
sometimes derived from birth, 
(the parents of a child convey- 
ing it to him,) and sometimes 



CO A 



61 



COL 



obtained by purchase ; both 
of which sources are alluded 
to in Acts xxii. 28. 
CLAUDIUS. SeeC^SAR. 
CLEAN, pure, free from 
defilement. Grain is clean 
when freed from the chaff. 
Isa. xxx. 24. Clean beasts 
and birds were those which 
God judged it proper for his 
people to eat. See Birds, 
and Beasts. 

Under the New Testament, 
to the pure all things are pure ; 
that is, all food is clean if we 
eat it with thankfulness and 
prayer. Cleanness of teeth, 
in the Old Testament, means 
the want of any thing to 
eat. 

CLEMENT, a Christian 
mentioned Phil. iv. 3. It is 
supposed that he is the same 
with the Clemens Romanus, 
famous in church history as 
the chief uninspired writer of 
the first century. Many pro- 
ductions are attributed to him, 
only one of which, a letter to 

| the Corinthians, is universally 
acknowledged to be genuine. 
CLE'OPHAS, probably the 
same with Alpheus, is said to 
have been the brother of Jo- 
seph, our Lord's reputed 
father. He was the husband 
of Mary, sister of the blessed 
Virgin, and was the father of 

| Simon, and James the Less, 
and of Jude, and Joseph, or 
Joses, the cousin of Christ. 

CLOTHES. See Rai- 
ment. 

COALS. A pot of coals 
was used at our Saviour's 



trial for the men to warm 
themselves, who had been ex- 
posed to the night air and dew 
in apprehending Christ. In 
the day time, fire was rarely 
necessary in the Holy Land. 
The disciples were to pray 
that their flight might not be 
in the winter, not so much on 
account of the cold, as of the 
swelling of the streams and 
torrents, especially in the 
mountains. Matt. xxiv. 20. 

COCKATRICE, a serpent 
of great venom ; probably the 
Cobra de Capello. The eggs 
of serpents are sometimes 
found j and when eaten in 
mistake for those of birds, 
have proved fatal. The pro- 
phecy, Isaiah xi. 6 — 8, seems 
to have been obscurely known 
to the ancient Hindoos. Their 
god KHshnu is represented 
as playing on a flute with such 
charming melody that before 
him stand, in one peaceful 
group, a young ox, a tiger, 
and a serpent. 

COCKLE, a pernicious 
weed. The word occurs only 
in Job xxxi. 40, where it is 
rendered by the Chaldee par- 
aphrase noxious herbs. Mi- 
chaelis calls it aconite, a 
poisonous plant. Bishop Stock 
and Mr. Good translate it 
nightshade. The original 
word imports not only a nox- 
ious weed, but one of a. fetid 
smell. 

COGITATIONS, medita- 
tions, contemplations, pur- 
poses. Dan. vii. 28. 
COLLOPS, slices or lumps: 



CON 



52 



CON 



masses of fat on the ribs, &c. 
Job xv. 27. 

COLOS'SE, a city of 
Phrygia, near Laodicea. Paul 
sent the Christians here an 
inspired Epistle. The city 
was destroyed by an earth- 
quake in the tenth year of 
Nero 5 that is, a.d. 63. The 
modern name of this place is 
Konos. 

COMFORTER, a title 
given by our Saviour to the 
Holy Spirit. John xiv. 16. 

COMMUNION, the con- 
cord of doctrines or opinions 
in several persons. The act 
of receiving- the Lord's Sup- 
per, that sign of our fellow- 
ship with Christ. 1 Cor. x. 
16. The communion of saints 
is that fellowship which the 
saints have with Christ by 
faith, and among themselves 
by love. 1 John i. 3. Acts 
iv. 32, 34, 35. 

COMPASS ; the instrument 
so called, used now by navi- 
gators, was wholly unknown 
to the ancients. The expres- 
sion, " fetch a compass," 
Acts xxviii. 13, means to go 
round, and not directly to a 
place. The carpenter's com- 
pass is mentioned Isa. xliv. 
13. 

CONCISION, a term used 
in reference to persons who 
would cut asunder, or make 
schisms in, the church of 
Christ. Phil. iii. 2. Rev. 
19. 

CONCUBINE, a term used 
in Scripture to signify a lawful 
wife, but of an inferior grade. 



She differed from a proper 
wife, in the solemnity of mar- 
riage, having no dowry, and 
not sharing the government 
of the family. 

CONDEMNATION, the 
act of passing sentence age. nst 
a person, by which he is 
doomed to punishment :•— the 
punishment itself. Among 
the Greeks, condemnation was 
signified by a black stone, 
and acquittal by giving a 
white stone, to which an allu- 
sion is made in Rev. ii. 17. 

CONEY, a small animal 
which seems, from the allu- 
sions to it in Scripture, to 
have been common in Pales- 
tine. As the name is now ob- 
solete, it has become a mat 
ter of dispute what animal, 
now known to us, is meant. 
Bruce is confident it is the 
ashkoko, found in Ethiopia, 
Arabia, Palestine, and parts 
adjacent. Its size is rather 
less than that of a cat. It has 
neither tail nor voice, and 
chews the cud. It is remark- 
ably inoffensive and timid, 
feeding only on roots and 
fruits, &c. but escapes its en- 
emies by running into holes 
inaccessible to larger animals. 
Bochart, Pennant, and other 
authors of high authority, con- 
sider the jerboa to be the co- 
ney of Scripture. This ani- 
mal is about the size of a rab- 
bit, and has ft. long tail. Its 
form and common posture are 
shown by the engraving,which 
supersedes the necessity of a 
particular description. The 



CON 



53 



CON 



Arabs call it mountain rat, 
and esteem its flesh a great 
delicacy. 




The editor of Calmet in- 
clines to regard the ashkoko 
as the coney of Scripture, 
Lev. xi. 5. Psalm civ. 18. 
Prov. xxx. 24, 26, &c. and 
the jerboa as the mouse 
mentioned Lev. xi. 29. 1 Sam. 
vi. 5, &c. 

CONFESS, openly to ac- 
knowledge. Jesus Christ will 
confess his people at the last 
da)', and publicly own them 
his children and faithful ser- 
vants. Luke xii. 8. They 
confess him before men, when, 
notwithstanding all danger 
and opposition, they openly 
profess and adhere to his 
truth, observe his ordinances, 
and walk in his way. Matt. x. 
32. To confess God, is to 
praise and thank him. Heb. 
riii. 15. To confess sin, is 
5* 



candidly to acknowledge our 
guilt before God, who can 
pardon or punish us 5 or to 
our neighbor, whom we have 
offended, or who can give us 
proper instruction and com- 
fort. Ps. xxxii. 5. James v. 
16. Matt. iii. 6. 

CONSCIENCE, that pow- 
er of our mind, which com- 
pares the qualities and actions 
of ourselves or others with 
the law of God, and decides 
on the good or evil tendency 
of an action according to the 
degree of light. Rom. ii. 15. 
A conscience is called good, 
when, being sprinkled with Je- 
sus' blood, it clearly discerns 
the will of God, and urges 
obedience to bis law, from 
gospel motives. ITim. i. 5. It 
is called "pure," and " purg- 
ed from dead works/ 7 when, 
by the application of Jesus 7 
blood, it is freed from the sen- 
tence of death due to sin, de- 
livered from the slavery of in- 
dwelling corruption, and, by 
the instruction of the Holy 
Ghost, is rendered clear in its 
views, holy in its aims, and a 
vigorous opposer of every 
thing sinful. 1 Tim. iii. 9. 
Heb. ix. 14. x. 2, 22. 

CONTEMN, to despise, to 
reject with disdain, as the 
wicked do God, Ps. x. 13, 
and his law, Ps. cvii. 11. 

CONVERSATION, dis- 
course. It is commonly used 
in Scripture, to mean deport- 
ment, or the general tenor of 
a person's life. Eph. iv. 22. 
1 Pet. iii. 16. 



COR 



54 



COR 



CONVERSION, a turning 
from one manner of life, or 
set of principles, to another. 
Acts xv. 3. In the Gospels, 
the word is used to signify 
the entire change which re- 
ligion produces in the dispo- 
sition, principles, and beha- 
vior. Without this change we 
cannot enter heaven. Matt, 
xviii. 3. 

CONVICT, or Convince, 
to persuade one of the truth 
of any thing. Acts xviii. 28. 
The Holy Spirit does this, 
when it applies the law to 
the conscience, and produces 
genuine repentance. 

CO'OS, a small island in 
the Mediterranean Sea, near 
the south-west point of Asia 
Minor. Hippocrates, the fa- 
mous physician, and Apelles, 
the eminent painter, were na- 
tives of this island. It is now 
called Stancore. 

COPPER, a metal known 
and wrought before the flood. 
Where the word brass occurs, 
it should be rendered copper. 

COR, a Hebrew measure, 
equal to about six bushels. 
Some computations make it 
much more. 

COR'AL, a hard, creta- 
ceous, marine production, re- 
sembling a plant. It is of 
various colors, white, black, 
and red ; the latter is the sort 
usually called coral, and is 
the most valuable. It was 
anciently held in high esteem. 
The word occurs only in Job 
vxviii. 18, and Ezek. xxvii. 16, 

CORBAN, a gift to reli- 



gious purposes. Mark vii. 11 
12. The Pharisees, in the 
days of Christ, taught that a 
man might escape all obliga- 
tion to support his indigent 
parents, by saying of his prop- 
erty, " Be it corban." In this 
case, if he did not give his 
property at that time to the 
temple, he was bound to do so 
at his death, though his pa- 
rents should thus be left desti- 
tute. Thus did they " make 
void the law" of honoring 
their father and their mother, 
" through their traditions." 
Mark vii. 13. 

CORIANDER, a strongly 
aromatic plant, bearing a small 
round seed, fragrant to the 
smell, and of an agreeable 
taste. Ex. xvi. 31. Numb. 
xi.7. 

COR'INTH, one of the 
richest cities of Greece, and 
capital of Achaia. Its com 
modious haven, and advanta 
geous location, gave it a 
vast commerce, and immense 
wealth. During a war with 
Rome, L. Mummius burnt it 
to the ground, a.m. 3827. It 
was afterward rebuilt under 
the auspices of Julius Caesar. 
It fell into the hands of the 
Turks, under Mahomet II. 
Paul preached here nearly 
two years. Acts xviii. 1. It 
is now called Corinto. 

CORINTHIANS. The two 
epistles under this name were 
written by Paul to the Chris- 
tians at Corinth, where he had 
preached with great success. 
Acts xviii. False teachers 



cou 



55 



CO V 



had led them into great errors, 
which he here exposes and 
denounces. 

COR'MORANT, a water 
fowl, about the size of a 
goose. It lives on fish, which 
it catches with astonishing 
skill. It is of shy and solitary 
habits. Zeph. ii. 14. 

CORN, the generic name, 
in Scripture, for grain of all 
kinds. Parched corn still con- 
stitutes an important and not 
unpleasant part of the food of 
the Arabs of Palestine, <5cc. 
See Threshing. 

COUNCIL, a tribunal fre- 
quently mentioned in the New 
Testament. The Great Coun- 
cil, so called, did not consist 
of the 72 elders who were 
originally appointed to assist 
Moses in the civil administra- 
tion of the government, but 
was instituted in the time of 
the Maccabees.* It consisted 
of chief priests, elders, (who 
were perhaps the heads of 
tribes or families,) and scribes, 
amounting in the whole to 72 
persons, and is called by Jew- 
ish writers, the Sanhedrim. 
This council possessed exten- 



* The Maccabees were a race 
of princes who united in their 
family the regal and pontifical of- 
fices. They were men of dis- 
tinguished prudence and valor, 
who, having delivered Israel from 
the yoke of Assyria, governed 
honorably for 126 years, when 
(about 56 years b. c.) their coun- 
try was conquered by Pompey, 
and made tributary to Rome. 
They are frequently called in his- 
tory the rfsmonean princes. 



sive authority, taking cogni- 
zance not only of religious 
matters, but of appeals from 
inferior courts of justice, and 
of the general affairs of the 
kingdom. After Judea be- 
came a Roman province, the 
council was deprived of the 
power of inflicting capital 
punishments, for which reasor. 
they delivered our Saviour to 
Pilate, demanding his death. 
The stoning of Stephen was 
in consequence not of a decree 
of the council, but of a riot. 
Acts vii. 57, 58. This is the 
tribunal mentioned Matt. v. 22, 
and xxvii. 1. John xi. 47, &c. 

COURSE. See Abia. 

COURT, an enclosed space 
near or within a house. That 
round the tabernacle was 
formed of pillars, and curtains 
hung by cords. The method 
of building private houses in 
the form of a hollow square, 
made the court in the inside. 
See Temple. 

COVENANT, an agree- 
ment to some particular thing. 
The promise to Noah that 
the w r aters should no more 
destroy the earth, is called 
a covenant. Gen. ix. 9 — 17. 
God also made a covenant 
with Abraham, that he should 
have a numerous seed, &c. 
Gen. xvi. 2—9. The law 
given on Mount Sinai, was 
another covenant. Dent. iv. 
13. The covenant of redemp- 
tion, and salvation by grace, 
is called a new and better 
covenant, Heb. viii. 6, 8, in 
respect to its dispensation, and 



CRO 



56 



CRO 



manner of manifestation 3 its 
being ratified by the actual 
sufferings and blood of Christ, 
and. freed from former cere- 
monies j its containing a more 
full revelation of religion, and 
being attended with a larger 
measure of the gifts and graces 
of the Spirit, while it is never 
to wax old, or be abolished. 

COVETOUSNESS, an ea- 
ger, unreasonable desire of 
gain $ a longing after the goods 
of another. It is called idol- 
atry, Col. iii. 5, because the 
covetous man places that de- 
light and confidence in riches, 
which are due only to God. 
This sin is expressly forbid- 
den in the tenth command- 
ment. 

CRACKNELS, a sort of 
seed-cakes, or buns. 1 Kings 
xiv. 3. 

CRETE, an island at the 
mouth of the iEgean Sea, be- 
tween Rhodes and Pelopon- 
nesus. Acts xxvii. 7. Jupiter 
is said to have been brought 
up here, and also buried. It 
was the seat of legislature to 
all Greece. There were once 
100 cities on the island. The 
inhabitants were exceedingly 
addicted to lying. Tit. i. 12. 
The gospel converted many 
persons here. Tit. i. 5. It is 
now called Candia. 

CRISPING-P1NS, curling 
irons for the hair. Isa. iii. 22. 

CROSS, a sort of gibbet, 
consisting of two pieces of 
wood placed across each 
other, in the form of -}■ or X • 
That of our Saviour is said to 



have been of the former kind. 
It was a common punish- 
ment among the Syrians, 
Egyptians, Persians, Africans, 
Greeks and Romans. With 
the Jews, it was not used at 
all 5 hanging on a tree being 
an execution of a different 
kind. It was therefore no in- 
considerable proof of the di- 
vine Providence, so to order 
matters as that Jesus should 
suffer this death, according to 
prophecy. It was exceeding- 
ly painful and lingering. First, 
the criminal was scourged 
with cords, often with bones 
at their end. Next he bore 
his cross, or part of it, to the 
place of execution. Crucified 
persons were sometimes bound 
to the cross with cords, as St. 
Andrew probably was ; but 
more commonly, nails were 
driven through the hands and 
feet. Sometimes persons were 
crucified with their heads 
downwards. In this manner, 
it is said, Peter desired to be 
crucified, not thinking himself 
worthy to die like his Master. 
An inscription, representing 
the cause of the punishment, 
was ordinarily written on a 
tablet at the top of the cross. 
It is often said that the crimi- 
nal was fastened to the cross 
before it was raised. This 
was probably the case when 
cords were used. But the jar 
of forcibly settling the cross in 
the ground would have broken 
off a body fastened with nails. 
Apiece of wood usually jutted 
out under the feet ; or a large 



CRU 



67 



CUB 



peg was inserted halfway up 
the cross, to serve as a sort of 
seat. It is observable, how 
the inscription on the cross of 
Christ, instead of charging him 
with a crime, plainly hinted 
his innocence and Messiah - 
ship ; nor could the heathen 
governor be prevailed on to 
alter it. The word is used 
metaphorically for the whole 
of Christ's sufferings, but es- 
pecially tiiose on the tree or 
cross. Heb. xii. 2. 

CROWN, an attire, or dress 
for the head. Those used in 
the games, were made of pars- 
ley, pine, flowers, &c. Those 
for kings, of gold adorned with 
gems. Metaphorically, that is 
a crown, which gives glory or 
dl~//y. Thus Jehovah was 
a crown of glory to Judah. 
Isa. lxii.3. Christ is said to 
have a " crown of gold," and 
" many crowns," meaning his 
ineffable grandeur and sove- 
reignty. Rev. xix. 12, &,c. 
Converts are thus a crown to 
ministers. Phil.iv. 1. 1 Thess. 
ii. 19. See also Prov. xii. 4. 
xvii. 6, and xxvii. 24. 

CRUCIFY, to put to death 
by the cross. A Roman mode 
of executing slaves, but con- 
sidered a very infamous death 
for soldiers or citizens. Fig- 
urativehj, it means to sub- 
due our evil propensities. 

CRUSE, a small vessel for 
holding liquids. The common 
forms are given in the cut j 
one being covered with wicker 
work, the other with a hairy 
skin. Eastern travellers are 



always provided with them 
1 Sam. xxvi. 11. 




CRYSTAL, a hard, trans- 
parent, and colorless fossil, of 
a regularly angular form. The 
word translated crystal in 
Ezek. i. 22, is rendered front 
in Gen. xxxi. 40, Job xxxvii. 
10, and Jer. xxxvi. 30, and ice 
in Job vi. 16, xxxviii. 29, and 
Ps. cxlvii. 17. There are three 
kinds of pure crystal, besides 
various sorts mixed with other 
different substances. Crystal 
was anciently reckoned very 
valuable. Jobxxviii.17. Pliny 
mentions a crystal vase, worth 
about 5000 * dollars. Nero 
furiously broke two such cups, 
to chastise his subjects by im- 
poverishing them. It is now 
of far less esteem. The fir- 
mament above the cherubims, 
the sea of glass before the 
throne of God, the river of 
life, and the light of the new 
Jerusalem, are compared to 
crystal, for their purity, clear- 
ness and splendor. Ezek. i. 
22. Rev. iv. 6. xxii. 1. 

CUBIT, an arm, or a meas- 
ure equal to eighteen inches. 
It rose from measuring with 
the arm from the elbow to the 



CYM 



52 



C YR 



end of the hand. The sacred 
cubit was nearly 22 inches in 
length. Ezek. xliii. 13. 

CUCUMBER, a vegetable 
plentiful in hot climates, and 
much used for food. That of 
Egypt is like ours, but two or 
three times the size, and much 
superior in quality and whole- 
someness. 

CUMMIN, a small plant, 
very common in Judea. Its 
seeds, being agreeably aro- 
matic and pungent, were used 
as a spice. It is now raised 
for this purpose in consider- 
able quantities in Malta. The 
hypocrisy of the Pharisees, in 
rigidly paying the tenth of 
this unimportant product, to 
religious uses, and yet neg- 
lecting the solemn duties of 
mercy, &c. is very striking. 
Malt, xxiii. 23. 

CUSH. (1.) The eldest 
son of Ham, and father of 
Nimrod. Gen. x. 8. (2.) A 
country on the Araxes, after- 
wards inhabited by the Scyth- 
ians. Hab.iii.7. (3.) Another 
name for Ethiopia. Isa.xi. 11. 
(4.) A country in Arabia Pe- 
trea, bordering on Egypt, of 
which Zipporah was a native. 

CUSTOM. (1.) The com- 
mon usage. Luke iv. 16. 
John xviii. 19. (2.) Duty or 
tax paid to government. Rom. 
xiii. 7. (3.) A natural disease 
of women. Gen. xxxi. 35. 

CYMBAL, an instrument 
of loud music, used with 
others, but giving no melody 
of itself. To speak with 
tongues, if not done out of 



love to souls, was but a pomp 
ous and useless act of self 
praise. 1 Cor. xiii. 1. 

CYPRESS,' a beautiful, 
lofty, evergreen tree The 
wood is heavy, strong, and 
almost incorruptible. The 
blossoms are delightfully fra- 
grant. 

CYPRUS, a populous island 
in the Mediterranean Sea : so 
called from the Cypress trees, 
with which it abounded. It was 
peopled by the descendants 
of Chittim. The chief deity 
was Venus, worshipped under 
the name ofCypris, or CypHa. 
A famous temple of hers stood 
on Mount Olympus. Asbes- 
tos, emeralds, and amethysts, 
are found here. Barnabas 
was born, and, according to 
tradition, suffered martyrdom 
in Cyprus. It now contains a 
population of about 60,000, 
mostly Greeks. 

CYRE'NE, a country west 
of Egypt, and the birthplace 
of Callimachus the poet, 
Eratosthenes the historian, 
and Simon, who bore the 
Saviour's cross. Many Jews 
from hence were at the Pen- 
tecost, and were converted 
under Peter's sermon. Acts 
ii. The region is now under 
the Turkish power, and has 
become almost a desert. It 
is now called CaVroan. 

CYRENIANS, inhabitants 
of Cyrene, who had a syna- 
gogue at Jerusalem 3 as had 
those of many other nations. 
It is said there were 480 syn- 
agogues in Jerusalem 



DAL 



59 



DAN 



CYRUS, son of Cambyses, 
king of Persia.by the daughter 
of Ahasuerus, king- of Media. 
He inherited the crowns both 
of Media and Persia, having 
married the only daughter of 
Darius. He died at the age of 
70, after having reigned 30 
years. Dan. vii. 5. lsa. xlvi. 
11. The first three chapters 
of Ezra describe his measures 
to restore Jerusalem. 



D. 

DAGON, a chief idoi of the 
Philistines, probably the same 
as Nebo, lsa. xlvi. 1. Though 
so signally disgraced at Ash- 
dod, the worship of it was not 
abandoned till a. m. 3840, 
when the Jewish leader Jona- 
than burnt it and its temple. 
The image represented the 
body of a fish, with the head 
and arms of a man. The 
figures of this god are not all 
exactly alike, though all com- 
bine the human form with that 
of a fish. The picture of this 
idol, on next page, is taken 
from a drawing, by Gentil, 
given in Calmet's Dictionary. 
Dagon is thought, by some, to 
be the same as the Vishnu of 
the Hindoos. Near Rangoon, 
in B-irmah, is the Shoe Da- 
gottn, ox gilt temple of Dagon. 

DALMANU'THA, a prov- 
ince on the east side of the 
Sea of Tiberias, either the 
same as Magdala ; or near it. 
Mark viii. 10. 



DALMA'TIA, a district oi 
the Gulf of Venice, visited by 
Titus. 2 Tim. iv. 9. 

DAMASCUS, once a most 
noble city in the north of Pal 
estine, and one of the mosi 
ancient on earth. Gen. xiv. 
15. It is now under the gov- 
ernment of the pacha of E- 
gypt 5 and contains 80,000 
inhabitants, or, according to 
a modern traveller, 200,000. 
Mr. Connor estimates the 
Jews in Damascus at 2,500, 
and the nominal Christians at 
20,000, "including Greeks, 
Latins, Catholics, Maronites, 
Armenians, and Nestorians." 
It is computed that 50,000 
Mahometan pilgrims annually 
pass through this city from the 
north, on their way to Mecca. 
Superior swords are made 
here, and a species of silk, 
called, from the place, damask. 
We have roses and plums 
which were introduced from 
thence, and bear the same 
name. The Greek patriarch 
of Antioch resides there. It 
is now called Damesclik, or 
Scham. 

DAMNATION, exclusion 
from divine mercy j that con- 
demnation to eternal punish 
ment which is the awful con 
dition of the wicked in a fu- 
ture state. Matt, xxiii. 33. 
The word was formerly used 
more commonly than now, 
and often meant only condem- 
nation. It should be so ren 
dered, Rom. xiii. 2, and xiv. 
23. 1 Cor. xi. 29. 

DAN, one of Jacob's sons ; 



60 




Dagon. 



D AR 



61 



DAY 



and the name of a city in the 
extreme northern part of Pal- 
estine, called formerly Laish. 
" From Dan to Beersheba," 
which is the southernmost city, 
meant the whole country. 

DANIEL, a Hebrew proph- 
et, contemporary with Eze- 
Jiiel, but living 1 longer than he. 
Jle was of the royal fam- 
ily, and, though carried cap- 
tive to Babylon, rose to wis- 
dom and honor. In the book 
which bears his name, he fore- 
tells not only the coming of 
Messiah, as other prophets, 
but the very time of his birth. 
Under the emblem of a great 
image of four materials, and 
of four beasts, he predicts the 
successive rise and fall of the 
four great monarchies of Bab- 
ylon, Persia, Greece, and 
Rome 5 after which, the king- 
dom of Christ, like the stone 
from the mountain, shall fill the 
earth and continue for ever. 

DARI'US, (called in Xeno- 
phon Cyaxar'es, and by the 
LXX, Artaxerxes,) kingof 
the Medes, was brother to the 
mother of Cyrus. When he 
conquered Babylon, he con- 
stituted a senate to govern 
it, of which Daniel was one. 

DARI'US CODOMANUS 
was originally poor and ob- 
scure j but for his valor was 
made governor of Armenia by 
\he king of Persia. He con- 
trived the murder of his sove- 
reign, and by the intrigue of 
Bagoas, the chief eunuch, 
ascended the throne. He was 
soon after conquered and de- 



prived of his ill-gotten throne, 
bv Alexander the Great. 

"DARI'US HYSTAS'PES 
was, according to Archbishop 
Usher, Ahasuerus, the hus- 
band of Esther. 

DATES, the fruit of the 
Palm-tree. See Palm. 

DAVID, the most eminent 
king of Israel, and one of 
the most distinguished persons 
mentioned in the Old Tes- 
tament, both for his piety, 
talents, dignity, and success. 
He wrote nearly all the 
Psalms. Christ, being a lineal 
descendant, is called " the 
Son of David." When it is 
said of him, while yet a youth 
among the folds, that he was 
a man u after God's own 
heart/ 7 it means that God 
chose him to be king over Is- 
rael, and would qualify him 
for that purpose. 

DAY, a division cf time 
which signifies, (1.) 
space which interve nj 
tween the rising and ^fflj ^ 
of the sun. (2.) The pe^wjpi 
of a revolution of the earth ori 
its axis, comprising 24 hours. 
The commencement of this 
period has been different a- 
mong different nations. The 
Hebrews began in the even- 
ing. Lev. xxiii. 32. The 
Persians and Greeks begin at 
sunrise j the Arabians at noon; 
and ourselves and most mod- 
ern nations at midnight. (3.) 
A period in which any par- 
ticular event is to occur. John 
viii. 56. 1 Thess. v. 2. (4.) 
A season of merciful oppor- 



DE A 



62 



DEB 



tunity. Luke xix. 47. (5.) 
The time of a man's life. Job 
iii. 8. Ps. xxxvii. 13. (6.) 
A prophetic year. Ezek. iv. 
5, 6. Dan. ix. 24. Rev. xi. 
3. (7.) Moral light, the knowl- 
edge and practice of religion. 
1 Thess. v. 5. (8.) Heaven. 
Rom. xiii. 12. 

DEACON is a word de- 
rived from the Greek, and sig- 
nifying servant. The cause 
and manner of the appoint- 
ment of deacons are clearly 
recorded, Acts vi. 1 — 6. Paul 
specifies their duty as consist- 
ing in " serving tables, " Phil.i. 
1. The qualifications requir- 
ed for this office are laid 
down, 1 Tim. iii. 8—12. If 
married, they were to have 
but one wife j in opposition to 
the polygamy then common j 
and the wife must be " grave, 
not slanderous, sober, faithful 
in all things." It is thought 
that there were ,in the primi- 
tive churches females chos- 
; en to be deaconesses, who, 
as Calmet says, " assisted fe- 
males to dress and undress at 
baptism, visited those of their 
own sex in sickness, and when 
imprisoned for their faith, &c. 
They were always persons of 
advanced age, and were ap- 
pointed to the office by the 
imposition of hands." It is 
thought such sisters are allud- 
ed to, 1 Tim. v. 9—18 5 and 
that Phcebe was such an one. 
Rom. xvi. 1. 

DEAD SEA, the same with 
the Lake Asphaltiies, in the 
south-east part of Canaan. 



The valley of Siddim, which 
was near Sodom, makes part 
of this sea. Gen. xiv. 3. Its 
waters are clear when taken 
up in a glass, but very bitter, 
much more salt than commou 
sea water, and of greater spe- 
cific gravity, so that' a mat 
may swim in it with great 
ease. The air round the lake 
seems loaded with sulphure- 
ous and bituminous vapors, 
which prevent vegetation, and 
give that deadly aspect, which 
all travellers remark. The 
mountains on each side are 
about 8 miles apart, but the 
expanse of water in that part 
does not exceed 6 in breadth. 
Its extreme length is about 15 
miles, and its greatest breadth 
nearly sixteen. This lake re- 
ceives the river Jordan, the 
river Arnon, and the brook 
Kidron, besides other rivulets, 
and has no vis ble communi 
cation with the sea. 

DEATH. (1.) The extinc- 
tion of life, or separation of 
the soul from the body. (2.) 
A separation of soul and body 
from God's favor in this life, 
which is the state of all the unre- 
generate, and is called spirit- 
ual death. (3.) Perpetual 
exclusion from God's heaven- 
ly presence and glory, which 
is called " the second death. 7 ' 

DEBTOR, one that owes 
any thing to another. As the 
creditor has a right to exact 
payment from the debtor, so 
God hath a right to inflict 
punishment on the guilty 
Thus men are debtors to Goa 



DEG 



63 



DE V 



by trespassing- against him ; 
and to their neighbors whom 
they injure, wrong, or offend. 
" Debtor to the whole law," 
Gal. v. 3, means obliged to 
keep the whole law of Moses, 
as the condition of eternal life, 
and so virtual!)- disclaiming 
all pardon by Christ. The 
apostle Paul says he was a 
debtor " both to the Greeks 
and to the Barbarians f that 
is, bound by his office to preach 
the gospel to all nations. 

DECAP'OLIS, a country 
on the Sea of Tiberias. Matt, 
iv. 2,3. Mark v. 20. Its name 
is Greek, and means "the ten 
cities.'' Some eminent authors 
consider it to be apart of Pe- 
rcea. Concerning- its limits, 
and the names of its 10 cities, 
geographers are by no means 
agreed. 

DEDICATION, the solemn 
act of setting apart any per- 
son or thing" to a religious use. 
The Feast of Dedication, ob- 
served by the Jews for eig-ht 
days, was to commemorate 
the restoration of the temple 
at Jerusalem, under Judas 
Maccabeus, after it had been 
destroyed by AnUochus Epiph- 
anes. 

DEEP signifies, (1.) Hell. 
Lukeviii.31. (2.) The grave 
or place of the dead, called 
depths of the earth. Rom; x. 
7. (3.) The deep parts of the 
sea. Ps. cvii. 2G. (4.) The 
original chaos. Gen. i. 2. 

DEGREES, a title prefixed 
to 15 Psalms, (from 120 to 
134,) and is not certainly un- 



derstood. Perhaps the word 
rendered degrees means some 
thing else. 

DELUGE. See Flood. 

DESERT. Some deserts 
were entirely barren, Isa, 
xiii. 21 5 others had fine pas- 
tures. Ex. iii. 1. Almost 
every town had a desert be- 
longing to it, similar to our 
commons. See Wilderness 
DEUTERONOMY, the 
fifth book of Moses — so called 
from its Greek name, which 
signifies repetition of the law. 
That part of this book which 
mentions the death of Moses 
was added by inspired pen- 
men afterward. The period 
of time comprised in this 
book is less than two months. 
It not only recapitulates, but 
explains the law, and forcibly 
urges the people to obedience. 

DEVIL, literally a slander- 
er, a fallen angel, or infernal 
spirit. Satan is, by way of 
eminence, called the devil, and 
the god of this world, from his 
power and influence. John 
xii. 31. 2Cor.iv.4. He has 
various titles given him in 
Scripture, expressive of his 
character : Satan, Job ii. 6 j 
Beelzebub, Matt. xii. 24 ; Be- 
lial^ Cor.vi. 15 j Lucifer, Isa. 
xiv. 12 j Dragon, Rev. xii. 7 ; 
Adversary, 1 Pet. v. 8 ; Prince 
of darkness, Eph. vi. 12 j 
Apollyon, or destroyer, Rev. 
ix. 11 j Angel of the bottom- 
Jess pit. He is represented as 
a sinner from the beginning, 
1 John iii. 8 ; a liar, John viii. 
44 3 a deceiver, Rev. xx. 10 j 



D1A 



64 



DIO 



an accuser, Rev. xii. 10 ; and 
a murderer, John viii. 44. 

DEVILISH, infernally 
wicked. This strong- epithet 
occurs only in Jam. iii. 15, 
where it forms a grand and 
awful climax. Envy and 
strife are there said to be 
il earthly, sensual, devilish," 
and to produce u confusion, 
and every evil work." How 
little do the promoters of con- 
tention consider this ! 

DEW. The dew in Pales- 
tine, and some other Oriental 
countries, is very heavy, wet- 
ting the ground like a smart 
shower. It sustains vegeta- 
tion, in some districts, where 
rain seldom or never falls. 
Gen. xxvii. 28. 

DIAMOND is the hardest 
substance in nature, and one 
of its rarest productions. It 
is generally called in Scrip- 
ture Adamant, which see. 
Diamond is the purest carbon 
known, and will burn like 
charcoal if exposed to great 
heat. The value of this and 
all other precious stones is 
estimated by carats. A carat 
is four grains. The larger a 
diamond is, the greater, in 
proportion, is its value. One 
is mentioned belonging to Rus- 
sia, worth 12 tons of gold ! Dia- 
monds of a very small size, not 
exceeding one fifth of a carat, 
are the most abundant. These 
are reduced to a powder, 
which is of the greatest im- 
portance to lapidaries, as with- 
out it, larger diamonds, and 
other hard gems, could not be 



cut or polished. With this 
powder, rock crystal is cut 
into leaves, and cut and pol- 
ished for spectacles and other 
optical instruments. In the 
natural state, diamonds are 
not brilliant, being covered 
with an earthy crust. Dia- 
monds were formerly obtain- 
ed chiefly from India, where 
the principal mines were in 
Golconda, Vjsapoor, and Bor- 
neo. They are now prin- 
cipally derived from Brazil. 

DIA'NA, a celebrated god- 
dess, supposed to preside over 
hunting and highways, and rep- 
resented as a young huntress, 
with a crescent on her head, 
the pedestal ornamented with 
heads of stags, dogs, &c. She 
was especially renowned and 
worshipped at Ephesus. Acts 
xix. 24 — 35. She was one of 
the twelve superior deities, 
and was called by the several 
names of Hebe, Trivia, He- 
cate, Diana, and Lucina. In 
heaven, she was the moon, or 
queen of heaven, and perhaps 
the same with Meni, the num- 
berer, or goddess of months. 
Jer. vii. 18, and xliv. 17. 

DIONYS'IUS, the Areop- 
agite, or judge in the court 
of Areopagus. In his youth, 
it is said, he was bred in all 
the learning of Athens, and 
went afterwards to Egypt to 
perfect himself in astronomy. 
Being at On when our Saviour 
died, and observing the mira- 
culous darkness, he cried out, 
" Either the God of nature 
suffers himself, or sympathizes 



DOC 



65 



DO V 



w.'th one that suffers. " He 
was converted at Athens by 
Paul, and it is said became 
an evangelist, and was burnt 
as a martyr in his own city, 
A. d. 95. 

DIP, to immerse. The 
people of the East eat with 
their fingers instead of knives 
and spoons, and therefore dip 
their hand in the dish. John 
xii. 26. 

DISCIPLE, a learner, or 
follower of another. John ix. 
28. It signifies, in the New 
Testament, a follower of 
Christ, Sec. or a convert to 
his gospel. John xx. 18. Acts 
vi. 1. 

DIVINATION, an art much 
practised among heathen. So 
sinful is it in the sight of God 
to resort to witches, magi- 
cians, or diviners, that the 
offence was made punishable 
with death. Deut. xviii. The 
means by which diviners pre- 
tended to discover hidden 
things, and foretell destiny, 
were various j such as observ- 
ing the flight of birds, exam- 
ining the entrails of beasts, 
casting lots, &c. These signs 
were called omens. The 
word " divine," in Gen. xliv. 
5, 15, seems to mean a natu- 
ral sagacity in searching out 
and bringing to light hidden 
transactions. 

DOCTRINE, knowledge 
or learning j the leading mat- 
ter in a discourse ; the truths 
of the gospel in general. 
Tit. ii. 10. It signifies a tenet 
ir opinion, Matt. xvi. 12 ; di- 
6* 



vine institutions, Matt. xv. 9; 
instruction, information, and 
confirmation in the truths o, 
the gospel, 2 Tim. iii. 16. 
It is distressing that Chris- 
tians take so little pains to 
acquire doctrinal knowledge, 
without which much of their 
practice is vain, and the 
teachings of the divine word 
useless. 

DOG, a well-known ani 
mal, which, when properly 
domesticated and trained, is 
highly useful and intelligent. 
Under the law, the dog was 
not to be eaten, and the Jews 
held him in great contempt. 
Hence, when David and Me- 
phibosheth would use the 
most humbling terms, they 
compared themselves to u a 
dead dog." 1 Sam. xxiv. 14. 
2 Sam. ix. 8. Isaiah com- 
pares the false teachers of his 
day to dogs. Isa. lvi. 10, 11. 
It must have been a hard say- 
ing, to the faith of the poor 
woman, who applied to Christ 
for help, that it was not 
proper to " give children's 
bread to dogs." Matt. xv. 
26. To call a person a dog, 
is still, in the East, expressive 
of the highest contempt. 

DOVES 7 DUNG. It is 
doubtful whether this article, 
mentioned 2 Kings vi. 2.5, was 
really pigeons 7 dung used for 
manure, as Josephus and 
Theodoret think, or what the 
Arabians call chick-peas, a 
kind of tare or cicer, resem- 
bling doves 7 dung when parch- 
ed. Some of the rabbins 



DRI 



66 



DUM 



affirm that it was the grain 
taken from the crops of pig-eons 
which, during the siege, filled 
themselves in the neighbor- 
ing fields. 

DRAGON signifies- either 
a large fish, as the whale, or 
a crocodile, or great serpent. 
In some places, it evidently 
means the deadly poisonous 
lizard called Gecko by the 
East Indians. 

DREAM. Dreams proceed 
from business, constitution, 
habit, outward sensations of 
the body, &c. By super- 
natural dreams, God of old 
informed men of his mind. 
These were not the same as 
visions. The former happen- 
ed during sleep, Gen. xx. 3, 
and xxxi. 11 ; the latter when 
the person was wide awake. 
Ezek. i. 1. Acts ii. 17. 

DRINK, to swallow liquids. 
As the allotments of God ; s 
providence were often repre- 
sented among the Jews by a 
cup, so to receive good or evil 
at the hand of God, is repre- 
sented by drinking its con- 
tents. Johnxviii.il. To eat 
thejtesh and drink the blood 
of Christ, is to imbibe, that is, 
cordially to receive and obey 
his precepts, John vi. 53 j to 
become one with him, in prin- 
ciple, feeling, and action. John 
vi. 34. As a cordial desire 
and love of divine truth, is 
often represented as thirsting, 
so drinking is used to express 
the actual reception of the 
gospel and its benefits. John 
vii. 57. 



DRINK-OFFERING, a 

libation of wine, appointed to 
accompany certain sacrifices 
under the ceremonial law, 
which was poured out upon 
or around the altar. Numb, 
xxviii. 7. 

DROMEDARY, a fleet ani- 
mal; so called from the Greek 
word dromo, I run. It is 
smaller and more slender than 
a camel, but can carry a man 
a hundred miles in a day. It is 
governed by a bridle connect- 
ed with a ring fixed in its nose, 
which illustrates the expression 
in 2 Kings xix. 23, meaning 
that Sennacherib should go 
back tamely and swiftly. 

DRUSIL'LA, the third 
daughter of Agrippa, was 
married to Azizus, king of 
the Emessenians, whom she 
abandoned, that she mignt 
marry Claudius Felix, by 
whom she had a son named 
Agrippa. She was one of the 
most beautiful women of her 
age, but exceedingly licen- 
tious. Acts xxiv. 24. 

DRY-SHOD, without wet 
feet. Isa. xi. 15. 

DUKE, a term signifying, in 
Scripture, merely a leader or 
chief, and by no means indi- 
cating a rank like that which 
the term now imports in Eu- 
rope. 

DULCIMER, a musical in- 
strument, used to make up a 
full chorus. It is thought by 
some to have resembled the 
present Scotch bagpipe. Dan. 
iii. 5. 

DUMAH, a country some- 



DWE 



67 



EAR 



where near or in Arabia Pe- 
traea, so called from a son of 
Ishmael. Isa. xxi. 11. 

DURE, to last, continue, 
endure. Prov. viii. 18. 

DUST. To wipe off the 
dust from one's feet, was a 
sign of renouncing" all connec- 
tion with those towards whom 
the action was directed, Matt. 
v. 14 j to throw dust into the 
air, was an expression of con- 
tempt and malice, Acts xxii. 
23 3 to throw dust on the head, 
of grief and mourning", Rev. 
iviii. 19. 

DWELL, to abide, or live 
in a place. God is said to 
dwell in the heavens, and also 
with him that is of a contrite 
spirit. Christ dwells in the 
heart by faith, justifying the 
believing soul by his merit, 
renewing it by his grace, pu- 
rifying it by his Spirit, teach- 
ing it by his wisdom, keeping 
it by his power, and, by his 
communion and compassion, 
sharing with it in all its trou- 
bles, and supporting it under 
all its trials. The Holy 
Ghost dwells in the soul by 
his gracious operations, work- 
ing faith, love, and other 
graces therein. 

The word of God may be 
said to dwell in a person, 
when it is diligently studied, 
firmly believed, and carefully 
practised. Col. iii. 16. The 
pious are said to dwell in 
God, by having the most inti- 
mate union and communion 
with him in Christ. 1 John 
iii 21. 



E. 

EAGLE, the noblest of the 
feathered tribe. Its size is 
about that of a turkey 5 but 
it has much longer wings. It 
has a beak strong and hooked, 
and is a very courageous and 
ravenous bird. It sees or 
smells dead carcasses at a pro- 
digious distance, and is said 
to break the bones of its 
prey, to come at the^marrow. 
Every } r ear it moults, and be- 
comes almost naked and bald, 
and then " renews its youth/ 7 
by producing a set of new 
feathers. Ps. ciii. 5. Eagles 
are extremely tender of their 
young, and take them on their 
wings when weak and fearful. 
Ex. xix. 4. They fly high and 
quick, Jer. iv. 13, have their 
nests in rocks, Jer. xlix. 16, 
and live to a hundred years. 
Several species of the eagle 
seem to be mentioned in 
Scripture ; but at this distance 
of time, they cannot be easily 
distinguished. The golden and 
common eagle rarely, if ever, 
eat carrion, which the vulture 
prefers. Not only all eagles, 
but the whole species, com- 
prising the hawk, kite, &c. 
were unclean to the Jews, and 
are seldom eaten now. 

EAR means sometimes, in 
Scripture, the same as to 
till, or plough, as, " ear the 
ground." 1 Sam. viii. 12. Isa. 
xxx. 24. A valley u neither 
eared nor sown," means on^ 
not ploughed or swa. Deut. 



ECC 



68 



EDO 



xxi. 4. M Earing time and har- 
vest," means the time of plant- 
ing and reaping. Ex. xxxiv. 

EARNEST, a pledge; a 
small part of the price of a 
thing, paid in hand ; to confirm 
an agreement. It is applied 
to signify the assurance which 
the spirit of adoption gives 
believers of their inheritance 
in heaven. " So the earnest 
of the Spirit/ 7 2 Cor. i. 22, is 
a proof that the bargain will 
be made good; and " the first 
fruits of the Spirit/ 7 Rom. viii. 
23, or the graces wrought in 
the soul by the Spirit, are 
some pledges of that fulness 
of joy, and perfection of holi- 
ness, of which believers shall 
partake in heaven. 

EAST. The Hebrews, in 
speaking of the different parts 
of the heavens, always sup- 
pose the face looking toward 
the east. Hence, before means 
east — behind, west — the right 
hand, south — and the left 
hand, north. 

EASTER, a word improp- 
erly put for passover. On 
this day some Christians com- 
memorate our Saviour's resur- 
rection. Different churches 
observe different days. 

EATING. See Table. 

EBONY, an Indian wood, 
black, hard, heavy, easily 
polished, and anciently very 
valuable- Ez. xxvii. lo. 

ECCLESIASTES. literal- 
ly a preacher. It is the name 
of one of the sacred books 
written by Solomon, in which . 



is most forcibly shown the 
vanity of life, the propriety of 
enjoying it temperately and 
in the fear of God, the neces- 
sity of patience under una- 
voidable ills, and that we 
must do all the good in our 
power, and seek the heavenlv 
kingdom. 

EDAR, tower of, the place 
to which Jacob removed afte 
the death of Rachel. Gen. 
xxxv. 21. It is called also 
the tower of the flocks. Micah 
iv. 8. It was a place of fine 
pasturage, about a mile from 
Bethlehem, supposed to be the 
very spot on which the shep- 
herds received the announce- 
ment of the birth of Christ. 
It is very remarkable, that 
the Targum of Jonathan calls 
it " the place where King 
Messiah shall be revealed in 
the end of days. ;; 

EDEN probably stood on 
the Euphrates, not far north 
of the Persian Gulf. Here is 
still the most fertile and pleas- 
ant part of the Turkish em- 
pire, though now miserably 
cultivated. 

EDIFICATION, a build- 
ing up. Saints are edified or 
built up when they grow in 
holy knowledge and practice. 
1 Cor. viii. 1. To edify our- 
selves, we must read, watch, 
pray, hear, meditate, and 
obey positive institutions To 
edify others, there must be 
love, good example, faithful 
exhortation, and benevolent 
endeavor. 

EDOM was called Esju, 



EG1 



69 



E G Y 



because he was hairy; and 
Edom, either because his hair 
and complexion were red, or, 
more probably, because he 
sold his birthright for a mess 
of red pottage. He was born 
a. u. 2173. 

EDOM, the country of the 
Edomites. It lay on the south 
and south-east of the inherit- 
ance of Judah, and extended 
to the Elanitic Gulf of the Red 
Sea. It was very mountain- 
ous, including mounts Seir 
and Hor. Its principal cities 
were Selah, Bozrah, Elath, 
and Ezion-geber. 

EDOMITES, descendants 
of Edom. They possessed 
themselves of the territory 
originally occupied by the 
Horites, who are supposed to 
have finally blended with their 
conquerors. Inveterate foes 
to Israel, they were rendered 
, tributary by David, but re- 
volted under Jehoram, and 
rendered themselves indepen- 
dent. 2 Chron. xxi. 8—10. 
See Idumea. 

EGYPT is bounded by the 
Mediterranean Sea on the 
north 3 Abyssinia on the south; 
and on the east and west by 
mountains, running parallel 
with the Nile. It was ancient- 
ly called C hernia, or the land 
of Ham ; and the present 
| Copts call it Chemi, perhaps 
I because Ham resided here. 
The Hebrews call itMizraim ; 
1 and the Arabs to this day 
i caH it Mesr, from Mizraim, 
I the son of Ham, who peopled 
it. Tue arts and sciences 



were very early cultivated 
here, and maintained a great- 
er degree of perfection, for 
some ages, than was found in 
any other nation. Pythago- 
ras, Plato, &c. travelled here 
to complete their studies. But 
the people worshipped beasts, 
fowls, onions, beans, and 
monsters of their own imagi- 
nation. u The world by wis- 
dom knew not God." I Cor 
i. 21. The name Egypt was 
given it by the Greeks, ana 
signifies either the land of the 
Copts, a name which the an- 
cient inhabitants gave to them- 
selves j or the land of black 
ness, because the soil and 
water are of a blackish color. 
It was divided into two dis- 
tricts — Upper Egypt, or The- 
bais ; and Lower Egypt, or 
the Delta. The river Nile 
runs through it northward, and 
yearly waters it, so that rain 
is scarcely requisite 5 and in- 
deed seldom happens in Up- 
per Egypt. The heat of sum- 
mer is excessive, but fruits 
abound. Lower Egypt pro- 
duces the most excellent 
dates, almonds, figs, lemons, 
oranges, olives, &c. Date 
trees abound ; and some vil 
lages are surrounded by such 
numbers, as to seem embosom- 
ed in a forest. These form a 
great source of subsistence. 
The threat to cut them down, 
Jer. xlvi. 22, 23, was, there- 
fore, exceedingly terrible, and 
involved utter ruin. The 
horses are very famous. The 
river abounds with fish, croco 



E G Y 



70 



eg y 



diles, and hippopotami. The 
practice of charming snakes, 
so as to carry them about safe- 
ly, still prevails here. Ps. 
Iviii. 4, 5. Jer. viii. 17. 

The pyramids of Egypt are 
3000 years old, and stand 
south-west of Grand Cairo. 
The largest is 500 feet high, 
and covers a space of more 
lhan eleven acres. The ob- 
ject of building them is not 
known. If, as is probable, 
they were intended by the 
monarchs who built them, as 
eternal monuments of their 
greatness, it affords us a 
striking lesson of the vanity of 
posthumous fame, for the very 
names of the builders have 
long been forgotten. 

Egypt was anciently ex- 
tremely fertile ; but as the Nile 
has, by yearly additions, rais- 
ed the surface of the earth 
considerably, it now overflows 
to a less height, and brings 
worse mud along with it 3 and 
as the inhabitants have be- 
come, under Turkish oppres- 
sion, less industrious and thrif- 
ty,it is now but moderately fer- 
tile, and in time may become 
barren. Prophecy has been 
strikingly verified in the his- 
tory of Egypt. It was fore- 
told that their perfidy to 
Israel in violating alliances, 
should be punished by their 
becoming a mean people, who 
should no more have a prince 
of their own to govern them. 
Ez. xxix. xxx. and xxxi. 13. 
Soon after the day of that 
seer, Persia annexed Egypt 



to its empire. Afterwards, 
they were successively tribu 
tary to the Greeks, Romans / 
Saracens, and Mamelukes. 
The French overran this coun- 
try in 1798, apparently intend- 
ing to keep it, and open through 
it a new channel for the East 
India trade. They were soon 
obliged to relinquish it, the 
Egyptians being aided by the 
Ottoman Porte and by the 
British. It is now a province 
of Turkey, governed by a 
bashaw or pacha. Consider- 
able light is likely to be cast 
on the history of this inter- 
esting country, by the discov- 
ery by M. Champollion, of a 
mode of deciphering hie- 
roglyphics. The information 
already obtained strikingly 
corroborates the Scripture 
history. The population is 
about two millions, a con- 
siderable portion of whom are 
Christians and Jews. These 
Christians are called Copts 
or Coptic Christians. The} 
reside chiefly m Upper Egypt 
and speak commonly the Ara 
bic language; have apatriarcl 
who resides at Cairo 5 use a 
liturgy, and baptize their chil 
dren by immersion in luke- 
warm water. They are Mono- 
phi/sites, i. e. believe that 
Christ had only one nature, 
viz. the divine, and was hu- 
man in appearance only. 

The River of Egypt, 
Josh. xv. 47, does not mean 
the Nile, but the Sihor, or the 
brook Bezor, which runs into 
the Mediterranean on the 



ELE 



71 



ELE 



southern boundary of Pales- 
tine, issuing- near Gaza. 

ELAM is the country call- 
ed in Greek and Roman clas- 
sics Elymais. Gen. xiv. 1. 
Dan. viii. 2. See Persia. 

ELDER, a person advanced 
in age. Elderly men being 
always chosen in early ages 
to bear rule, the term at length 
became a title of office. Our 
word senator has the same 
origin. The Hebrew elders 
were the chiefs of the princi- 
pal families, or persons of al- 
lowed wisdom and prudence. 
There seem to have been gen- 
erally seventy of them. Ex. 
xxiv. 1 — 9. These, with Moses 
and Aaron, made exactly six 
from each tribe. After the 
captivity, there were elders in 
every city. Ezra x. 14. The 
term, as used in the New Tes- 
tament, is the proper title of 

' office, to denote Christian pas- 
tors, or presbyters. Acts xx. 
17,23. Tit. i.5— 7. 1 Pet. v. 
1,2. 

ELECTION, choice. The 
word is always used in the 
New Testament, in relation 
to that gracious purpose of 
God, by which a portion of 
the human family is destined 
to salvation. Rom. viii. 9. 
Election is (1.) Sovereign, 
Rom. ix. 11—16 5 (2.) Per- 

1 sonal, Matt. xx. 23; 2 Tim. 

i ii. 19 ; (3.) Eternal, Eph. i. 
4; 2Thess. ii. 13; (4.) Irre- 
vocable, Rom. viii. 33 j 2 



( Tim. ii. 19 ; (5.) It is untc 

holiness, 1 Thess. v. 9 ; (6., 

' U all of grace. Rom. xi. 5. 



That the doctrine is plainly 
one of divine revelation, is 
proved by a fair interpretation 
of the following passages, to- 
gether with those just quoted 
terms and phrases. Rom. viii. 
28—50. Eph.i.3— 5. 2Thess. 
ii. 13. 1 Thess. i. 4. All Chris- 
tian denominations admit that 
some of the human family will 
possess and enjoy the glories 
of the heavenly world. But 
this cannot be, except God 
permit or design it. If this 
design exist in the divine 
mind, it always did exist ; for 
he forms no new designs, and 
is incapable of change. If it 
always did exist in his mind, 
it is an eternal purpose. That 
purpose is election. This doc- 
trine necessarily follows from 
that of God's infinite knowl- 
edge. If he certainly knew 
how things would be from 
eternity, it was because he had 
so arranged them. If any 
thing was left at random, then 
how that would be he did not 
know, and so was not omnis- 
cient. As free moral agents. 
we are under the law and gos- 
pel, and we need not pry into 
this mystery, but do as we are 
bid by command, and encour- 
aged by promise. God saves 
unto the uttermost all who 
come to him through Christ. 

ELEMENTS, the con- 
stituent parts of compound 
bodies. .Fire, air, earth, and 
water, used to be called ele- 
ments ; but it is now ascer 
tained that all those are com- 
pounds. The earth, in its va- 



EMB 



72 



EMB 



rious kinds of original matter, 
shall be melted with fervent 
heat at Christ's second com- 
ing. 2 Pet. iii. 10. Elements 
also signify the alphabet of 
letters, and syllables formed 
?f them 5 and the phrase is 
thence used to signify the ru- 
diments, or first principles of 
a science. Col. ii. 8. Heb. 
v. 12. The " rudiments of 
this world," which are not to 
be used in the gospel-church, 
are ceremonial laws and hu- 
man customs, which are not 
proper for such as enjoy the 
clear instructions of the gos- 
pel. Col. ii. 20—22. 

ELM is a word which oc- 
curs but once in our transla- 
tion of the Bible, viz. Hos. iv. 
13 5 and the original word 
Alah, there used, is in all other 
places rendered oak. 

ELUL. See Month. 

To EMBALM dead bodies, 
is to fill them with odoriferous 
and drying drugs. The em- 
balming of dead bodies ap- 
pears to have had its origin, 
as well as to have attained its 
highest perfection, among the 
Egyptians 5 but whether their 
want of access to the earth to 
bury their dead, during the 
overflow of the Nile, or a re- 
gard to civil honor, or a fancy 
that the freshness of the body 
tended to detain the soul in 
it, chiefly prompted them 
thereto, we know not. When 
a person died, the corpse was 
carried to the coffin-maker, 
that he might prepare a fit 
coffin, with its upper side rep- 



resenting the body enclosed 
and great men had their cof- 
fins painted or embellished 
according to their quality. 
The corpse was next carried 
to the embalmer, and the price 
of embalming settled with him. 
The highest was about 1300 
dollars 5 the second about 440, 
and the lowest but a mere tri- 
fle. The corpse being ex- 
tended on a table, the inwards 
and brains were all drawn 
out, and the parts filled with 
myrrh, cassia and other 
spices, frankincense excepted. 
The whole body was then 
anointed with oil of cedar, 
myrrh, cinnamon, &c. for 
thirty days. It was next put 
into salt about forty days. 
Gen. i. 3. Afterwards it was 
wrapped in linen, sometimes, 
it is said, to the extent of 
above one thousand yards, 
dipped in the oil of myrrh, 
and rubbed with a certain 
gum. It was then delivered 
to the relations, who put it 
into the coffin, and either kept 
it in their own house or in a 
tomb. Great quantities of 
these bodies remain, some of 
which are several thousand 
years old. They are called 
mummies. Several have been 
exhibited in this country. 

The poor had oil of cedar 
infused to destroy the intes- 
tines, and the body wrapped 
in nitre. Some of the poorest j 
did but cleanse the inside, by 
injecting a certain liquor, and 
then laid the body seventy 
days in nitre, to dry it. Jacob 



EMM 



73 



EPH 



and Joseph were no doubt 
embalmed in the manner 
of the Egyptians, as they 
died in that country. Gen. 
1. 2, 3, 26. The Jews em- 
balmed dead bodies 5 but 
probably in a very different 
and less effectual mode than 
that of the Egyptians. When 
our Saviour was crucified, the 
necessity of his hasty burial 
obliged them only to wrap his 
body in linen, with a hundred 
pounds of myrrh, aloes, and 
like spices, bestowed by Nico- 
demus j but Mary and other 
holy women, had prepared 
ointment and spices, for fur- 
ther embalming it. Matt. 
xxvii. 59. Luke xxiii. 56. 
John xix. 39, 40. The use of a 
large quantity of spices, on 
such occasions, was thought to 
do an honor to the deceased. 

EMERALD, one of the 
most beautiful and valuable 
of gems, Gf a green color, 
seldom exceeding the size of 
a pea. It is derived from 
India and South America. 

EMERODS, a disease, the 
character of which is not ex- 
actly known. Most commen- 
tators consider it to be what 
is now called piles. Deut. 
xxviii. 27. 1 Sam. v. 12. 

EMMANUEL, or Imman- 
uel, a Hebrew word, which 
signifies " God with us. 77 Matt. 
i. 23. It is applied to the 
Messiah, in whom the two na- 
tures, divine and human, were 
united. Isa. vii. 14, and viii. 8. 

EM'MAUS probably stood 
seven miles N. of Jerusalem. 



ENCHANTER. See In- 
chanter and Serpent. 

ENON, literally the place 
of waters, was the place 
where John baptized. Its 
situation is not accurately 
known, but probably was in 
Galilee. 

ENVY, a painful vexation 
of mind at another's enjoy- 
ment. It produces malice and 
persecution. Acts xiii. 45. It 
is hateful to God, and always 
destroys the peace of such 
as indulge it. Phil. i. 15. 
Prov. xiv. 30. It is one of 
the most diabolical feelings 
which can be cherished ; and 
yet is one of the most com- 
mon sins of men. Those who 
trust their outward morality, 
little consider this and other 
vices, which render them 
odious in the sight of God. 

EP'APHRAS, the same as 
Epaphroditus, a friend of 
Paul. Col. i. 7. 

E'PH A, a Hebrew measure, 
containing somewhat more 
than half a bushel. 

EPHESIANS, an epistle 
of Paul, addressed to the 
Christians of Ephcsus. It is 
eminently valuable for its mi- 
nute instructions and solemn 
admonitions. It was written 
from Rome about a. d. 61. 

EPH'ESUS, one of the 
most famous cities of Asia, 
said to have been built by 
Ephesus, an Amazon lady, as 
early as the days of David. 
It was situated on the river 
Cayster, about forty miles 
south of Smyrna, and was 



EPH 



74 



EPH 



chiefly famed for a magnifi- 
cent temple of Diana. This 
is said to have been 425 feet 
long-, and 220 broad. Its 
roof was supported by 127 
pillars, 70 feet high, 27 of 
which were curiously carved, 
and the rest polished. It was 
burnt by the infamous Eros- 
tratus, on the very day Soc- 
rates was poisoned, viz. 400 
years before Christ. After- 
ward, it was rebuilt with in- 
creased splendor, at the com- 
mon expense of all the Gre- 
cian states. Before the time 
of Alexander, Ephesus had 
kings of its own. After it 
fell into the hands of the Ro- 
mans, the inhabitants revolt- 
ed to Mithridates, king of 
Pontus, and on that account 
were cruelly pillaged by Syl- 
la, the Roman general. It 
was destroyed by an earth- 
quake, A. d. 19, but soon re- 
built. Christianity was plant- 
ed here by Paul, about A. d. 
54, when he reasoned with 
the Jews in their synagogues 
for three months, Acts xviii. 
xix. — xxi. He returned next 
year, and preached to the 
Gentiles with wonderful suc- 
cess, Acts xix., staying three 
years, Acts xx. 31. It suffer- 
ed exceedingly in its various 
sieges and captures, by the 
Saracens, Tartars, and Turks, 
and has gradually sunk to 
nothing. Tournefort found at 
Ephesus but thirty or forty 
houses. Chandler found not 
so many individuals. Now, 
no human being lives at Ephe- 



sus ! Hy-saluck, which may 
be considered another name 
for Ephesus, does not stand 
on the same place, and con- 
tains only a few wretched 
Turkish huts. The candle- 
stick has been removed out 
of its place ! " How doth the 
city sit solitary that was full 
of people !" The apostle John 
spent most of his life, and 
closed it here. 

EPHOD, an ornamental 
upper garment, which made a 
part of the official dress of 
the Hebrew priest. That of 
the common priest was made 
of linen, and that of the high 
priest was richly embroider- 
ed, and contained the sacred 
breastplate. It was without 
sleeves, and consisted of two 
parts, one hanging before, the 
other behind. See Breast- 
plate. 

EPHRAIM. (1.) The 
younger son of Joseph, born 
2293, and head of a tribe in 
Israel, which, at the time of 
their deliverance out of E- 
gy pt, amounted to 40,500 per- 
sons. (2.) The lot of Ephraim, 
lying in the heart of the Holy 
Land. (3.) The mountains 
of Ephraim, highly fertile, 
except where they approach 
the Jordan in rocky preci- 
pices. A spur of this range ap- 
proaches Jericho, the passes 
of which have ever been in- 
fested by robbers. (4.) There 
was a forest of Ephraim, 
where Absalom's army was 
routed. 2 Sam. xviii. 6—17. 
(5.* From the days of Jero* 



EP1 



15 



ESP 



boam till the ten tribes were 
I carried away captive by Sal- 
maneser, the whole land, not 
. included under Judah, was 
l often called Ephraim. Jer. 
. xxxi. 6. (6.) The city of 
, Ephraim, where Christ retir- 
es ed with his disciples not long 
I before he suffered. John xi.54. 
EPICU'REANS, philoso- 
l phers who adopted the doc- 
trine of Epicurus, who flour- 
[ ished at Athens, about a. m. 
j 3700. They denied that God 
- governs the world, or in the 
■: least condescends to interfere 
j with creatures below. They 
| denied also the immortality of 
] the soul, and the existence of 
, angels. They maintained that 
| the world was not formed by 
J God, nor with any design, but 
3 by the fortuitous concourse 
of atoms. They maintained 
that happiness consisted in 
d pleasure ; but some of them 
] placed this pleasure in the 
tranquillity and joy of the 
mind, arising from the prac- 
tice of moral virtue, which is 
thought, by some, to have 
been the true principle of Epi- 
3 curus 3 others understood him 
3 in a grosser sense, and placed 
all their happiness in sensual 
i pleasure. 

EPISTLE, or Letter. 
1 Twenty-one of the books of 

Ithe New Testament are call- 
ed epistles. The first fourteen 
? were written by Paul; the 
other seven were written, one 
j by James, two by Peter, three 
by John, and one by Jude. 
The messages to ihe seven 



churches of Asia recorded in 
the book of Revelation, are 
called epistles. Rev. ii. and 
iii. To understand the epistles ; 
we must consider the time, oc- 
casion, design, and parties 
addressed. 

ERASTUS, a disciple of 
Paul, and chamberlain, that 
is, treasurer, of the city of Cor- 
inth. He resigned his office, 
and became an assistant to 
Timothy. Rom. xvi. 23. 

ESA'IAS, the same as 
Isaiah, which see. 

ESAR'HADDON, the 
third son of Sennacherib, who 
succeeded his father about the 
22d year of the reign of Hez- 
ekiah. In him the kingdoms 
of Assyria and Babylon be- 
came united j after which he 
invaded Judah, and carried 
Manasseh away in chains 3 
which was the occasion of the 
repentance and reformation 
of that wicked prince. 2 Kings 
xxi. He reigned over Assyria 
39 years, and over Babylon 
13, and died 668 years before 
the birth of Christ. 

ESAU. See Edom. 

ESDRAE'LON, a noble 
plain, about 15 miles square, 
near Mount Carmel, famous 
in all ages for the great bat- 
tle fought upon it. It was 
once exceedingly populous, 
but is now almost a desert. 

ESPOUSALS, the act or 
ceremony of marriage. Jer. ii. 
2. Espousing sometimes means 
in Scripture only betrothing, 
or making a matrimonial en- 
gagement. See Betroth. 



EUP 



76 



EVE 



ESTHER ; the name of a 
queen of Persia, and also of 
one of the historical books of 
the Old Testament. Her his- 
tory is recorded in that inspir- 
ed narrative,written ; probably ; 
by Mordecai. The king, her 
husband, was, as some think, 
ArtaxerxesLongimanus ; but 
was more probably Darius 
Hystaspes. 

ETERNITY,strictly speak- 
ing, is duration without begin- 
ning or end. God alone is 
therefore truly eternal. See 
Everlasting. 

ETHIOPIA is sometimes 
called, in the Old Testament, 
Cushy from the oldest son of 
Ham, whose posterity settled 
the country on the south-west 
of the Red Sea. Acts viii. 
27. It bordered on Egypt, 
and was once a most powerful 
kingdom, with many noted 
cities. It is now called Abys- 
sinia. 

EUNUCH, the name given 
to certain officers who served 
in the inner courts and cham- 
bers of kings. 

EUPHRATES, the most 
famous river in Western Asia. 
From its source in the moun- 
tains of Armenia, its course is 
westward ; after which, at the 
foot of Mount Taurus, it bends 
southward,receives the Melas, 
runs along the east side of Sy- 
ria, and, after having watered 
Chaldea, proceeds south, and 
joins the Tigris, just above 
where the ancient Paradise is 
supposed to have stood. A- 
bout 60 miles farther south, 



the united rivers discharj 
themselves into the Persian 
Gulf. Like the Nile, it is sub- 
ject to an annual overflow, by 
which it imparts great fertility 
to its valley. On its banks 
stood Babylon. Now called 
Epherat or Phrat. Bussorah, 
about fifty miles from its 
mouth, is now a place of some 
importance. 

EUROC'LYDON, a vio- 
lent and dangerous north-east 
wind, common in the Medi- 
terranean about the beginning 
of winter. Acts xxvii. 14. It 
is called by sailors a Le- 
vanter. 

EVANGELIST, a bringer 
of good news. It was ap- 
plied first to the inspired 
historians of the gospel of Je- 
sus Christ, and, also, in the 
primitive church, to those who 
went from place to place, to 
preach the glad tidings of the 
ever blessed gospel. The 
term is now used to signify a 
minister who travels, and is 
not settled with any particu- 
lar people. 

EVEN, Evening. The 
Jews had two evenings. The 
first was the after part of the 
day j the second was the hour 
or two immediately after dark. 
Where the word occurs in Ex. 
xii. 6, Numb. ix. 3, and xxviii. 
4, &c. it reads in the original 
" between the evenings/' and 
means the twilight. This was 
the time the passover was to 
be sacrificed. Deut. xvi. 6. 

EVERLASTING, endur- 
ing forever ; eternal. God is 



P 



E VI 



77 



EXC 



everlasting 1 , Exod. xv. 18 3 and 
the covenant of grace, Heb. 
xiii. 20 3 and the future bless- 
edness of the righteous, Luke 
xvi. 9 3 2 Cor. iv. 17 5 and the 
punishment of the wicked ; 
Matt. xxv. 46. 

Our finite minds cannot em- 
brace the thought of everlast- 
ing duration. Millions of mil- 
lions of years, multiplied to 
tne furthest powers of compu- 
tation, are as nothing to eter- 
nity. Any period we can 
compute will as certainly 
come to an end as a single 
day, and then the space be- 
yond is not diminished! O 
u who can dwell iu everlast- 
ing burnings 1" 

EVIL, an action contrary 
to the law of God 5 any wrong 
done by one man to another. 
Matt. v. 39. It is put for 
the afflictions or punishments 
which God sends, Job ii. 10 ; 
for sin and its sufferings, 
Matt. vi. 13. To have an 
evil eye, Pro v. xxiii. 6, is to 
be covetous, and grudge the 
grace that is dispensed to 
others. Evil days, Eccl. xii. 
1, signify the time of old age, 
which is calamitous in itself, 
and often saddened with the 
remembrance of youthful fol- 
lies. To " put far away the 
evil day," Amos vi. 3, means 
to drive away the thoughts of 
approaching judgment and 
death. Satan is called the 
evil one, or evil spirit ; he is 
the author of sin 3 he perpet- 
ually works wickedness, and 
causes trouble. John xvii. 15. 



Acts xix. 12. An evil time is 
a season of much sinning, 
danger, and trouble. Amos 
v. 13. 

EVIL SPEAKING, affirm- 
ing defamatory falsehoods, or 
reproachfully and unnecessa- 
rily speaking of real faults. 
It is a deplorably prevalent 
vice, even among those who 
pride themselves on their mo- 
rality. It is scarcely, if at all, 
less sinful to listen with pleas- 
ure to such conversation. 1 
Cor. v. 11. and vi. 10. 

EXACTER. An officer 
whose business it was to col- 
lect fines levied by the courts, 
and sometimes also to gather 
taxes. 

EXAMINE. See Self- 
examination. 

EXCLUDE, to shut out. 
The word excommunicate , 
which is now common, is not 
found in our translation, 
though the expression " cast 
out," in John ix. 34, might be 
so rendered. Exclusion from 
a church is an awful censure 
which Christ empowers his 
visible people to inflict on 
members who are incorrigible, 
or who have committed scan- 
dalous offences. Excluded per- 
sons forfeit, (1.) The fellow- 
ship of the church, Matt, xviii. 
I73 (2.) The common society 
of the members, except so far 
as civil relations require it, 2 
Thess. iii. 6, 14 ; Rom. xvi. 
17 3 (3.) The inward privi- 
leges of the professed people 
of God. The design of ex- 
clusion is, (1.) To purge the 



EXO 



78 



EZE 



church ; (2.) To warn other 
members ; (3.) To reclaim 
the offender. 

EXHORT ; to urge others 
to the performance of known 
duty. It is a Christian re- 
quirement, Heb. iii. 13, and 
was the constant practice of 
Christ and the apostles. Luke 
iii. 18. Acts xi. 23. Some 
may be useful in this way who 
are not called to the ministry. 
Rom. xii. 8. 

EXODUS, the second 
book of Moses, so called 
from its name in the Greek 
version, which signifies de- 
parture ; because it relates to 
the history of the departure of 
the Israelites from Egypt. It 
is a narrative of the transac- 
tions of about 145 years, from 
the death of Joseph, a. m. 
2369, to the erection of the 
tabernacle, in 2514. It de- 
scribes the history of Moses, 
the plagues of Egypt, the 
journey of Israel, the dispen- 
sation of the law, the construc- 
tion of the tabernacle, and 
the entrance into Canaan. 

EX'ORCIST, one who 
drives away evil spirits, or 
casts out devils. Our Sa- 
viour, when he sent out his 
disciples to preach the gos- 
pel, gave them power over 
unclean spirits, to cast them 
out, Matt. x. 1 J by which gift 
they gained repute among the 
people, and gave proof that 
they were sent of God. But 
those Jewish exorcists, men- 
tioned Acts xix. 13, were im- 
postors, deluding the people 



by imposture, witchcraft or 
diabolical agency. 
EXPIATION, atonement. 

The " great day" of expia- 
tion was the 10th of the 
month Tizri. The ceremony 
is described Lev. xvi. When 
expiation is made, the guilt is 
removed, and the obligation 
to punishment is cancelled. 
See Propitiation. 

EYELIDS were painted 
by ancient Jewish females, 
and still are in Arabia, &c. 
This is what Jezebel did, 2 
Kings ix. 30. The edge of 
the lids, between the hair and 
the eye-ball, is made black, to 
increase the size and vivacity 
of the eye. Jer. iv. 30, may 
refer to this custom or to the 
streaking of the face by 
pricking a dark powder 
through the skin, as sailors 
now do on their arms. This 
practice remains in Arabia, 
and various other countries. 

EZEKIEL, one of the 
greater prophets ; he was the 
son of Buzi, a descendant of 
Aaron, and of course belong- 
ing to the priesthood. Being 
carried away by Nebuchad- 
nezzar among the captives, 
he settled on the banks of the 
Chebar, in Mesopotamia, and 
was there favored with his 
extraordinary revelations. He 
seems to have exercised his 
prophetic office about twenty 
years. 

The Book ofEzekiel is sim- 
ilar to that of Jeremiah in its 
scope> but very different in 
style, being more pointed and 



EZR 



79 



FAN 



severe. It predicts the dread- 
ful calamities to be inflicted 
on Judea and Jerusalem, for 
idolatry and wickedness 3 the 
judgments that would be sent 
upon the false prophets, who 
deluded the people with vain 
hopes, and winked at their 
sins 5 the punishments which 
should befall Ammon, Edom, 
Philistia, Tyre and Egypt 3 
the restoration of Israel and 
Judah 3 and the blessedness 
of the gospel church under 
the Messiah. 

EZRA, a captive Jew, of 
the sacerdotal family, who, by 
wisdom and integrity, rose 
to eminence in the Persian 
court. By authority of his 
sovereign, he assembled a 
large colony of his country- 
men, and went to repair Jeru- 
salem, and rebuild the tem- 
ple. To Ezra is ascribed the 
important work of collecting 
the different inspired books, 
arranging, combining, and 
correcting them, and so form- 
ing the complete canon of the 
Old Testament. 

The Book of Ezra was 
doubtless written by him. It 
consists of two principal divis- 
ions : the first gives the nar- 
rative of the return of the 
Jews from Babylonia 5 and 
the second describes the great 
reformation of religion which 
took place among the people. 
It materially elucidates the 
prophecies of Haggai and 
Zechariah. Compare Ezra 
v. with Hag. i. 12, and Zech. 
iii. 14. 



F. 

FAITH, a dependence on 
the truth of an assertion. 
Divine faith is a firm belief 
upon the authority of divine 
revelation. It is thus we are 
persuaded to believe all truths 
relating to God, revealed to 
us in the Scriptures. Justify- 
ing, or saving faith, is a grace 
wrought in the soul by the 
Spirit of God, whereby we re- 
ceive Christ, as he is revealed 
in the gospel, to be our Proph- 
et, Priest and King 5 trust in 
him ; and rely upon his righte- 
ousness alone for salvation. 
This faith begets a sincere obe- 
dience in life and conversation. 
11 Faith which worketh by 
love," Gal. v. 6, is faith which 
shows itself by producing in 
us love to God and to our 
neighbor. Faith is put for a 
belief and profession of the 
gospel, Rom. i. 8. 

FALL, to drop down, to 
be ruined, to apostatize. By 
way of eminence, man's first 
disobedience, and consequent 
degradation, is called the 
Fall. By it our whole race 
has lost the image of God, 
and, being totally destitute of 
any natural tendencies to holi • 
ness, we " are estranged from 
the womb." Ps. li. 5, and 
lviii. 3. Isa. Iviii. 8. From 
this awful condition, and its 
consequences, we are deliver- 
ed by " the second Adam." 

FAN, an instrument for 



FAS 



80 



FE A 



separating chaff from grain, 
formerly made in the shape of 
a wooden shovel, with a long 
handle. The shape and man- 
ner of using it are shown in 
the picture of a threshing 
floor. With this the grain 
was tossed in the air when the 
wind blew, so that the chaff 
was driven away. As it fell 
round the place, it was cus- 
tomary to sweep it together 
and burn it. See Matt. iii. 12. 

FARTHING, a coin used 
by the Romans. Our transla- 
tors give this English to 
both Aaaapiov (assarion) and 
KoSpavrrjg, (quadrantes,) but 
these were different. The 
first was a tenth part of a Ro- 
man penny, or about two 
cents. Matt. x. 29. The lat- 
ter was equal to two mites, 
and is about a fourth part of 
our cent. Mark xii. 42. 

FAST, a solemn forbear- 
ance from food, accompanied 
by humiliation before God, 
prayer, and the reformation 
of life. Our Saviour did not 
appoint any fast days, but 
gave reasons why, after his 
death, his disciples should 
fast. Afflictions and perplex- 
ities soon became common to 
Christians, and then they fast- 
ed. 2 Cor. vi. 5. 

FASTING, though much 
neglected by modern Chris- 
tians, is a duty of great impor- 
tance, and should not be over- 
looked among our means of 
growth in grace. It should 
consist, (1.) In total or partial 
abstinence from food and all 



other animal indulgences, as 
far as bo.dily health and vigor 
of mind will permit ; (2.) In hu- 
miliation and confession of sinj 
(3.) In prayer 5 (4.) In liberal 
ity to good objects. Matt. 
ix. 15. 1 Cor. vii. 5. 

FATHER, he that has a 
child. It is a title given to 
the first ancestor, as Rom. iv. 
16 5 to the inventor and mas- 
ter of any art or science ; or 
the founder of a particular 
profession, Gen. iv. 20, 22 j 
to him who is affected with 
the miseries of the poor, and 
endeavors to provide for their 
wants. Job xxix. 16. God 
declares himself to be " the 
Father of the fatherless ." Ps. 
Ixviii. 5. God is eminently 
the Father, Creator, Preserv- 
er and Protector of all his 
creatures, but principally of 
those who know and serve 
him. Deut. xxxii. 6. Rom. 
viii. 15, 16. The devil is 
called the father of the wick- 
ed. John viii. 44. In church 
history, the term is applied to 
the Christian writers of the 
first centuries. It is custom- 
ary to give this epithet to aged 
and eminent saints, 2 Kings 
ii. 12, and to the minister under 
whom we are converted, 1 
Cor. iv. 15 j ITim.i. J 3. 

FATLING, a young ani- 
mal fed for slaughter. Isa. 
xi. 6. Matt. xxii. 4. 

FEAR, apprehension of 
danger. Guilt produces that 
solicitude and dread which is 
called slavish fear. Acts xxiv, 
25. That holy feeling of the 



FE A 



81 



FE A 



renewed heart toward God, 
which produces a reverent sub- 
mission to his providence, and 
ready obedience to all his com- 
mands, hflialfear. Heb.v.7. 

FEAST, a season of joy 
and thanksgiving' appointed 
of God to commemorate great 
events, to give rest and confir- 
mation to the pious, to pro- 
mote and sanctify social af- 
fections, and to prefigure the 
blessings of the gospel. 

The following enumeration 
is prepared with great care, 
and should be familiar to 
every reader of Scripture. 

The Feast of the Pass- 
over lasted eight days, be- 
ginning on the 15th of the 
month Nisan. Ex. xii. 14. See 
Passover. 

The Feast of Pente- 
cost came fifty days after the 
Passover. See Pentecost. 

TheFeast of Taberna- 
cles continued for a week, 
and was to commemorate the 
dwelling of the Israelites in 
tents. It is sometimes called 
the feast of ingatherings. Ex. 
xxiii. 16, and xxxiv. 22. The 
following are the principal 
ceremonies. (I.) During the 
entire week of its continuance, 
the people dwelt in booths or 
tents, erected in the fields or 
streets, or on the flat, terrace- 
1 ke roofs of their houses. (2.) 
Extraordinary offerings were 
made. See Numb. xxix. (3.) 
During the feast, branches 
of palm, olive, citron, myr- 
tle, and willow, were car- 
ried in the hands, singing 



11 Hosanna," i. e. Save now ; 
or, Save, I beseech thee. Ps. 
cxviii. 25. It was meant as 
a prayer for the coming of 
the Messiah. Thus was Jesus 
conducted into Jerusalem, by 
the multitude, who believed 
him to be the promised Sa- 
viour. (4.) The libation of 
water upon and around the 
altar 7 which was an emblem of 
the effusion of the Holy Spirit. 
To this Christ alluded, when, 
in the last day of the feast, he 
cried, " If any man thirst, let 
him come unto me and drink." 
During the whole festival, 
music, feasting, rejoicings, and 
illuminations, gladdened the 
city. 

The Day of Atonement 
v*as kept on the 10th day of 
Tizri, or September. On this 
day only , in the whole year. was 
the high priest permitted to 
enter the most holy place, and 
then not without due prepara- 
tion, on the pain of death. 
Lev. xvi. 2 — 17. 

The Feast of Weeks, 
Ex. xxxiv. 22, occurred seven 
weeks after the second day 
of the Passover. It is the same 
as the feast of Pentecost. 

The Feast of Trum- 
pets was held on the first and 
second days of the month 
Tizri, which was the com- 
mencement of the civil year. 
The name is derived from the 
blowing of trumpets in the 
temple with more than usual 
solemnity. 

The Feast of Lots, or 
Purim, was introduced in 



FE A 



82 



FEL 



after times, and was celebral- ' 
ed in February. On this oc- 
casion the entire book of Es- 
ther is always read in the 
synagogues. 

The Feast of the Ded- 
ication of the second tem- 
ple (mentioned in John x. 
22) was instituted after the 
days of Malachi ; in commem- 
oration of the cleansing of 
the temple and altar, after 
their profanation by Anti- 
ochus. 1 Maccab. iv. 52 — 59. 
It commenced on the 25th of 
Cisleu ; or December. 

The preceding are the chief 
annual festivals of Old Testa- 
ment times. Modern Jews 
have added various others, 
which this work need not no- 
tice. The following were the 
extraordinanj festivals of di- 
vine appointment. 

The Sabbatical Year. 
Every seventh year, the land 
was to lie fallow, while its 
spontaneous produce was 
snared in common by the 
servants of the family, the 
poor, the stranger, and the 
cattle. It was the year of re- 
lease from personal slavery, 
Ex. xxi. 2, and from pecuni- 
ary debts, Deut. xv. 1, 2. In 
order to guard against famine 
on this and the ensuing year, 
(which would also be par- 
tially deficient, in consequence 
of the entire rest of the seventh 
year,) God promised a triple 
produce for the sixth year. 
Lev. xxv. 21, 22. The breach 
of this command was among 
the chief national sins which 



caused the captivity. Lev. 
xxvi. 33, 34. Jer. xxv. 9. 2 
Chron. xxxvi. 21. 

The Jubilee was a more 
solemn feast, held every 
seventh sabbatical year, that 
is, once in fifty years. See 
Jubilee. 

Feasts of Charity, or 
Love FEASTS,were entertain- 
ments of the Christian church 
in the first ages, which tended 
to relieve the poor and pro- 
mote union. The Lord's sup- 
per was generally administer- 
ed at the close. They, how- 
ever, became occasions of 
evil, and were discontinued. 

FELIX was deputy-gov- 
ernor of Judea. He enticed 
Drusilla to divorce Azizus, 
king of Emesa, and then took 
her as his own wife. He de- 
feated about 4000 outlaws, 
headed by an Egyptian im- 
postor, who had posted them- 
selves in the mount of Olives. 
Acts xxi. 38. During the ad- 
ministration of Felix, Judea 
was in a constant turmoil, 
being infested with robbers 
and assassins, and overrun 
with impostors pretending to 
be the Messiah. It was this 
prince tha^ trembled at the 
words of Paul, Acts xxiv. 25. 
He was a bad man, and gov- 
erned with great injustice and 
cruelty. In a. d. 60, he was 
recalled to Rome, and Festus 
was sent in his room. The 
Jews followed him, and com 
plained to the government of 
his extortion and violence. 
He would have been punished 



FES 



33 



FIG 



with death, had not his broth- 
er Pallas, by his credit at 
court, preserved his life. Acts 
xxiii. and xxiv. 

FELLOWSHIP, or Com- 
munion, is a term of great 
importance in the Scriptures. 
There is a fellowship to which 
the people of Christ are admit- 
ted with God the Father, and 
with his Son Jesus Christ, 
the blood of Jesus cleansing 
them from all sin. 1 John i. 
3, 5, &,c. There is also a fel- 
lowship which they have with 
one another, in the spiritual 
blessings which the gospel 
brings to the guilty ; and in 
temporal things, which takes 
place when the disciples of 
Christ communicate jointly of 
their worldly substance to the 
support of the poor. Acts ii. 
42. The church connection 
is called a fellowship, and is 
opposed to having connection 
with the unfruitful works of 
darkness. Eph. v. 11. 

FERRET, a species of 
weasel. The word so render- 
ed, Lev. xi. 30, means " the 
cHer," en which account some 
< take it for the frog. It seems 
on the whole to be the gecko, 
or noisy lizard. 

FESTUS succeeded Felix 
in the government of Judea. 
He sent Paul, whom Felix had 
left bound at Caesarea, to 
Rome, to be tried by Ca?sar, 
to whom he appealed. Acts 
xxv. Festus was very diligent 
in his efforts to put an end to 
the disturbances and robberies 
which had become so frequent 



in Judea, in the reign of Felix, 
but took no trouble to investi- 
gate the claims of Christian- 
ity ; and when Paul spoke of 
its mysteries, he thought that 
much learning had made him 
mad. Acts xxvi. He died 
about a. D. 62. 

FIG-TREE, a well-known 
tree, which flourishes in warm 
countries. It attains a good 
degree of perfection in the 
most southern of the Unit- 
ed States. The fruit, which 
grows from the trunk and 
large branches, and not from 
the exterior twigs, as in 
most trees, is nutritious and 
medicinal. It was very com- 
mon in Palestine, and is so now 
in every part of the Levant, 
whence it is exported, in a 
dried state, to every part of 
the world. The leaves of the 
tree are very large, on which 
account Adam and Eve made 
aprons of them. The tree it- 
self is large, and some have 
been mentioned which would 
shelter three hundred men. 1 
Kings iv. 25. John i. 49. 
Christ blasted a fig-tree on 
which he found no fruit, 
" though the time of figs 
was not yet, 7 ' — that is, the 
time of gathering figs had not 
quite arrived. The tree was, 
therefore, evidently barren, 
and had not already been 
stripped. Matt. xxi. 19. It is 
remarkable that his curse was 
only the establishment of its 
previous sterility. Its leaves 
withered, so that no future 
traveller should meet a like 



FIR 



84 



FIS 



disappointment. Being* on 
the public road, no man's 
property was injured. It was 
an awful lesson to that de- 
generate nation, of whose hyp- 
ocritical exterior and worth- 
less pretensions it was a strik- 
ing emblem, and to fruitless 
professors in all ages. The 
goodness of God is remark- 
ably apparent in this tree. It 
flourishes in rocky, barren 
places, where scarcely any 
thing else will grow 3 and a 
single tree will sometimes pro- 
duce 280 pounds of figs. So 
valuable was this tree in the 
land of Canaan, that to have 
it killed, or even to have it 
fail of its annual fruit, was 
reckoned a dreadful calamity. 
Joel i. 6, 7. Hab. iii. 17. 

FIGURE, shape, resem- 
blance. Idols are called fig- 
ures, because they are made 
after the likeness of some 
original form. Acts vii. 43. 
Adam, Isaac, &c, and some 
ancient ceremonies, were fig- 
ures or types, as they shadow- 
ed forth Jesus Christ. Rom. v. 
14. Heb. xi. 19, and ix. 9. Bap- 
tism is called a figure 5 its 
washing in water shadows 
forth the washing of our souls 
in the blood of Christ. 

FILLET. (1.) A band for 
the hair. (2.) An astragal, or 
architectural ornament. Ex. 
xxxvi. 38, and xxxviii. 28. 

FIR, a very tall, straight, 
evergreen tree, of dense foli- 
age, and abounding with a 
gum called rosin. Its fruit 
somewhat resembles burrs of 



the pine-tree. The wood was 
anciently used for spears, mu- 
sical instruments, building, 
and furniture of houses and 
ships. It was the chosen 
abode of the stork. Ps. civ. 
17 Jesus Christ is compared 
to a green fir-tree. Hos. xiv. 
8. His people are likened to 
fir-trees. Isaiah xli. 19, and 
Iv. 13, and lx. 13. 

FIRE, the state of combus- 
tion: flame, 2 Pet. iii. 7 3 Rev. 
ix. 17: suffering of the ut- 
most severity, Jude 7. The 
word is often used to denote 
the dreadful torment of hell. 
To " salt with jive 11 means to 
prove or purify by suffering, 
as metals are purified in the 
furnace. Mark ix. 49. 

FIRKIN, a Greek measure, 
equal, it is thought, to four 
gallons and a half 3 that is, 
about a fourth part of a bath. 
There is no certainty as to its 
size. John ii. 6. 

FIRMAMENT, the expanse 
of heaven, the sky. The 
lower region of the firmament 
separates, as is said, Gen. i. 
6, 7, the waters of the clouds 
above from the waters of the 
earth beneath. Job xxxvii 
18. 

FIRST-FRUITS, offerings 
of the earliest ripe grain, fruit, 
&c, which were made before 
the harvest was fully gathered. 
Neither the time nor quantity- 
is prescribed. Every person 
was to offer for himself. 

FISH, a general name, in 
Scripture, for aquatic animals. 
Fishes were created on the 



FIS 



85 



FLA 



fifth day, by the word of God's 
power. Some are of mon- 
strous size, and some are too 
small to be seen without pow- 
erful glasses. Then element 
has ever prevented an accu- 
rate knowledge of their num- 
ber, structure or manners. 
Linnaeus reckons several hun- 
dred different species j and 
doubtless many exist in the 
vast extent and profundity of 
the ocean, which have never 
come under human observa- 
tion. Even when drawn from 
their watery abode, and the 
form examined and described, 
their migrations, pursuits, and 
pleasures, remain concealed 
in most cases. The sea not 
affording- vegetable food in 
the profusion that is seen 
on land, the natives of the 
deep subsist by preying- on 
each other. Were it not for 
this arrangement, the vast re- 
gions of water would have 
been a dreary vacuum in the 
system of nature. The fecun- 
dity and longevity of fishes 
are adapted to this order of 
things. A single cod will pro- 
duce, in a season, nine mil- 
lions of eggs } a flounder above 
one million, and a mackerel 
five hundred thousand. Large 
fish live on small ones, and 
these find food in the surplus 
spawn of such as have been 
named. Thus myriads of 
creatures partake of the pleas- 
ure of existence, in an ele- 
ment which would otherwise 
have been a silent waste. 
Under the Hebrew law, 
8 



none were called clean, and 
allowed to be eaten, but such 
as had fins and scales, so that 
lobsters, oysters, &c. were 
prohibited. 

FITCHES, or Vetches, 
a sort of tare, growing to the 
height of 12 or 18 inches. 
The seeds are fragrant and 
pungent, and were used in 
bread and cakes by the Jews. 
Isa. xxviii. 25, 27, &c. 

FLAG, a tall rush, common 
on the banks of the Nile j 
grateful to cattle as food, and 
made into ropes, &c. by the 
Egyptians. Gen. xli. 2, 18. 
Job viii. 11. 

FLAGON, a vessel or cruse 
usually intended for wine, and 
containing about a pint. 2 
Sam. vi. 19. See Cruse. 
The word seems sometimes to 
mean a cake or pressed lump 
of raisins. 2 Sam. vi. 19. 

FLAX, a well-known plant, 
of which linen is made. E- 
gypt carried on a great trade 
in linen, Ezek. xxvii. 7. 
Wrought into garments, it 
was the only raiment of the 
priests, and the principal arti- 
cle of dress of all the people. 
It was famous in all countries 
for \\.s fineness ; but this was 
because the art of spinning 
was then in so rude a state, 
for that which is now taken 
from the best mummies seems 
to us very coarse. The de- 
struction of flax, in one of the 
plagues of Moses, must have 
been a great calamity. Ex. 
ix. 31 . It is still, according to 
Norden, one of their princi- 



FLO 



86 



FLO 



pal articles of export. When 
it is said the flax had "boiled/' 
it means that the seed vessels 
had begun to assume a round- 
ish form. See Lamp. 

FLAY, to strip off the skin ; 
a punishment used in some 
countries upon great offend- 
ers, by which they were slow- 
ly killed, with the utmost suf- 
fering". Mic. iii. 3. Some of 
the early Christians were mar- 
tyred in this manner. 

FLESH, that soft part of 
any animal, which lies between 
the skin and the bone. The 
word is used in Scripture for 
living men, and animals in 
general, Gen. vi. 13 5 for the 
whole nature of man, as it 
cometh into the world infected 
with sin, Rom. vii. 5. viii. 8 ; 
for all that in religion which 
is outward, and to be seen 
with the eye, as moral works 
or ceremonies of the law, 
Rom. iv. 1, Gal. iii. 3 } for the 
natural corruptions, which act 
in opposition to the Spirit in 
regenerated persons. Rom. 
vii". 18, 25. Gal. v. 17, 24. 
Flesh also signifies the human 
nature of Christ, whereby 
his divine nature was vailed, 
even as the mercy-seat and 
the most holy place were by 
the vail. Heb. x. 20. It is 
also taken for the outward 
appearance. John viii. 15. 
" A heart of flesh" denotes a 
tender, tractable temper and 
disposition of soul. 

FLOOD, an inundation or 
collection of waters. The Red 
8ea is so called, Ps. lxvi. 6, 



and heavy rains, Matt. vii. 25, 
and by a figure, great afflic 
tions, Ps. lxix. 15, violent ef- 
forts of the enemies of the 
church. Isa. lix. 19, &c. 

In most instances where 
this word occurs, it means that 
awful deluge which once 
destroyed the earth, as de- 
scribed in Genesis. Noah, 
with his family, and the va- 
rious animals which God 
brought to him, were preserv- 
ed in the ark, which was their 
habitation for about a year. 
This memorable event is com- 
puted to have occurred A. M. 
1656. Persons and things ex- 
isting previous to it are called 
antediluvian. Of this event^ 
most heathen nations have, to 
this day, some tradition, and 
many ancient Gentile writers 
allude to it. Scarcely any 
ancient fact is so authenticat- 
ed by profane history, by tra- 
dition, and by commemora- 
tive rites, as the flood. The 
present state of the earth 
furnishes evidence of its hav- 
ing occurred. Trees, teeth, 
bones, sea-shells, &c. &c. are 
often found on the tops of 
mountains, or buried in the 
earth, in the hardest strata, in 
solid rocks, in beds of marl, 
and in the bottoms of mines. 

FLOOR, the bottom of a 
room. 1 Kings vi. 15. The 
place where corn was thresh- 
ed out. Hos. ix. 1. Judg. 
vi. 37. See Threshing- 
Floor. 

FLOTES, flat-bottomed 
vessels, such as are now call- 



FOO 



87 



FOO 



ed scows or barges ; or a col- 
lection of trees, fastened to- 
gether by ropes, to be drawn 
along- by water, in the manner 
we make a raft. 1 Kings 
v.9. 

FLUTE, a sweet, soft 
wind-instrument, of very an- 
cient date. We find it used 
in the time of David, 1 Kings 
. i. 40, and at Nebuchadnezzar's 
concert. Dan. iii. 5. 

FLY, an insect of which 
I there are many kinds, some 
having two, and some four 
. wings. Sonnini says, that in 
I Egypt no insects are so trou- 
. blesome as flies, which are 
j there extremely rapacious and 
. hold, stinging the tenderest 
t parts of the body, and creating 
{ almost unsupportable pain. 
j A single fly will throw an en- 
v tire herd of cattle into con- 
j sternation. Isa. vii. 18. Ac- 
i cording to the custom of idol- 
. atrous countries, to worship 
i what was hurtful, the Egyp- 
| lians paid superstitious hom- 
. age to several sorts of flies, 
so that nothing could be more 
i striking than the plague of 
; them by Moses. Beelzebub, 
J or the god of flies, was wor- 
j shipped by the Philistines, 
Amoriles, &c. because he 
was supposed to defend his 
f votaries from these distress- 
ing insects. 

FOOD, among the ancient 
j Jews, was exceedingly plain. 
Gen. xviii. 6,7. The articles 
destined for the king's table 
were very simple. 2 Sam. xvi. 
1, and xvii. 28 21). Bread 



was the most common food. 
Milk and honey were dain- 
ties. Flesh was a luxury. 
They were accustomed to eat 
under the shade of a tree. 
Gen. xviii. 8. They would 
not eat indifferently with all 
persons, deeming it deroga- 
tory and polluting in many 
cases. Gen.xliii. 32. John 
iv. 9. Matt. ix. 11. In gen- 
eral, each had his separate 
table. Thus Elhanah gave 
his two wives their portion 
apart. Sam. i. 4, 5. Special 
respect was paid to guests by 
giving them a great plenty for 
their portion. Joseph sent Ben- 
jamin five times as much as 
either of the rest, and Sam- 
uel set a quarter of a calf be- 
fore Saul. Generally, the an- 
cient Jews sat cross-legged 
round a mat, as is now custom- 
ary in the East, but in later 
times more luxurious postures 
were adopted. They ate with 
their fingers, knives and forks 
being a modern invention. 
Their times of meals were 
sunrise, a little before noon, 
and five in the afternoon. 
Their ordinary beverage was 
water. 

FOOL, an idiot, or a very 
weak man ; one who foresees 
not evils, to prevent them, and 
neglects the season of obtain- 
ing what is good. In the lan- 
guage of Scripture, a sinner , 
one who makes something in 
this world his highest aim, 
and spends his chief time and 
labor about it, to the neglect 
, of infinitely higher interests. 



FOR 



88 



FOX 



Those who upbraid their 
brethren as fools are in dan- 
ger of hell. Matt. v. 22. 
Whatever is without good 
reason, and does not secure 
men's true and eternal ad- 
vantage, is foolish i and hence 
we read of foolish talking, 
foolish lusts, foolish questions, 
&c. Eph. v. 4. 1 Tim. vi. 9. 
Tit. iii. 9. 

FOOT, that on which any 
animal or thing stands, or is 
supported j a measure of 12 
inches. In old times, it was 
customary to wash the feet of 
strangers after a journey, be- 
cause they either walked bare- 
foot, or wore only sandals. 
Gen. xviii. 4. xix. 2. xxiv. 32. 
Widows maintained by the 
church, were to be such as 
nad washed the feet of the 
saints j that is, had been ready 
to do the meanest services for 
the servants of God. 1 Tim. 
v. 10. Our blessed Saviour 
washed the feet of his apos- 
tles j and though there is not 
sufficient reason for regarding 
this as a positive institution, 
like the Lord's supper, yet it 
most plainly and movingly 
shows that Christians are to be 
very affectionate, and ready 
to perform the most humble 
services for one another. 

FORESHIP, the bow, or 
forward part of a ship. Acts 
xxvii. 30. 

FORGIVE, to pardon an 
offence. To forgive sin, is 
the prerogative of God only. 
Isa. xliii. 25. When the Phar- 
isees, who denied the divin- 



ity of Christ, heard him for- 
giving sins, they said, ■" This 
man blasphemeth. ;; Matt, 
ix. 3. That Christ exercised 
this power, proves hLr< to be 
divine. Acts v. 31. 

FORNICATION means, 
(1.) Criminal intercourse be- 
tween unmarried persons, 1 
Cor. vii. 2 ; (2.) Adultery, 
Matt. v. 32 j (3.) Idolatry, 
2 Chr. xxi. 11 5 (4.) Heresy, 
Rev. xix. 2. 

FOX. There is reason to 
think that the word shuol 
means a jackal, and not a fox j 
and that the true fox is not 
mentioned in all the Scrip- 
ture. The fox does not 
prey on carrion j nor are 
our foxes fond of grapes, as 
jackals are known to be. 
Cant. ii. 15. Samson might 
have caught jackals by scores > 
but the fox is scarcely evei 
found in Judea, and is not a 
gregarious animal. Barbar- 
ous nations of the East ravage 
the country they conquer, 
leaving the habitations deso- 
late, and the dead bodies un- 
buried. These carcasses the 
jackals devour. David al- 
ludes to this, Ps. lxiii. 10, 
when he says his enemies 
" shall be a portion for foxes. " 
Jackals abound in Asia Minor 
and the neighboring countries. 
They choose hilly places, 
boldly approach travellers, 
and at night enter villages, 
always going in troops. The 
jackal is not so large as a 
wolf, but rather larger than a 
fox,and lives on small animals. 



FRO 



8; 



FRU 



grapes, vegetables, and car- 
casses. The general resem- 
blance of the fox and jackal 
may have caused the sacred 
writers to use the term shuol, 
(fox,) as comprehending sim- 
ilar animals. Scaliger and 
Olearius, as quoted by Bo- 
^hart, expressly call the jack- 
al a fox 3 and Sandys says, 
" the jackals are in my opin- 
ion no other than foxes. " 
Kaempfer says, the jackal 
may not improperly be called 
the "wolf-fox." 

FRANKINCENSE, a 
gum, anciently burnt in tem- 
ples, and now used in medi- 
cine. It distils from incisions 
made in the tree during the 
heat of the summer, and when 
placed on live coals, sends 
up a dense fragrant smoke. 
Some frankincense is brought 
from the East Indies , but it 
is not equal to that of Arabia 
or Syria. The form of the 
frankincense-tree is like a 
pear-tree. Frankincense is 
still used in Popish ceremo- 
nies, as well as by heathens. 
Ex. xxx. 34. Luke i. 10. 
Rev. viii. 4. 

FRAY, to chase away with 
fear. Deut. xxviii. 26. 

FROG. There are two 
species of frog, one of which 
lives in the water and the 
other on the land. The former 
was made the plague of E- 
gypt. Ex. viii. As the frog 
in Egypt was the emblem of 
Osiris, it was held sacred by 
the people ; and this plague 
is one of the many instances 
8* 



in which Jehovah punishes 
men by means of the very 
things which they improperly 
regard. This is st ; ll more ap- 
parent when we consider that 
the Nile, in which they were 
produced, was supposed by 
the Egyptians to be peculiar- 
ly sacred, and deserving of 
religious veneration. Though 
the frog is not venomous, such 
legions of them penetrating 
every place, and filling their 
food artd beds, rendered life 
intolerable. When it is said, 
Ps. lxxviii. 45, " He sent 
frogs and destroyed them," 
it probably means that the 
stench of them, when killed, 
infected the air, and created 
pestilence. Had God sent 
lions, tigers, and crocodiles, 
instead of frogs, lice, flies, 
&c. the cause would have 
seemed so adequate to the 
effect, that his hand in the 
punishment might have been 
overlooked. Because frogs 
show themselves most active- 
ly after a rain, some have 
foolishly imagined that they 
are produced by rain, or de- 
scend with it. 

FRONTLET, or Tele- 
phin, a brow-band, or fillet 
worn on the forehead. The 
Jews, regarding the command, 
Deut. vi. 8, 9, as intended 
literally, or being disposed to 
adopt the pagan custom of 
wearing amulets and talis- 
mans, wore these on their 
foreheads. See Phylac- 
tery. 

FRUIT, production, conse 



FUL 



90 



GAB 



quence. ** Fruit of cattle/' 
is their young-. " Fruit of the 
body/ 7 signifies children. 
Deut. xviii. 4. " Fruit of the 
lips/ 7 is the sacrifice of praise 
and thanksgiving 1 . Heb. xiii. 
15. " Fruits meet for re- 
pentance/ 7 are such a holy 
life and conversation as mani- 
fest the reality of repentance. 
Matt. iii. 8. " Fruits of the 
Spirit/ 7 mean love both to 
God and our neighbors, and 
those gracious habits wrought 
by the Spirit in the soul j as 
joy, peace, long-suffering, 
gentleness, goodness, faith, 
meekness, and temperance. 
Gal. v. 22, 23. " Fruits of 
righteousness/ 7 Phil. i. 11, 
are such good works and holy 
actions as spring from a gra- 
cious frame of heart. Fruit 
is taken for a charitable con- 
tribution, which is the fruit or 
effect of faith and love. Rom. 
xv. 28. Fruit, when spoken 
of good men, means the fruits 
or works of righteousness and 
holiness j but in regard to 
wicked men, it designates the 
effects of sin, immorality, and 
wickedness. See our Sa- 
viour's doctrine. Matt. vii. 
16. 

FULL, fulness. (1.) De- 
siring no more of a thing, Isa. 
i. 11 ; (2.) Perfect, that which 
wants nothing, 2 John viii. 5 
(3.) Being puffed up with a 
conceit of our own sufficiency 
and worth, so as to feel no 
need of Christ. " Wo unto 
you that are full. 77 Luke vi. 
25. To be " full of years/ 7 



is to have lived to old age. 
Gen. xxv. 8. " The fulness 
of time/ 7 is the time when 
Messiah appeared, which was 
appointed by God, promised 
to the fathers, foretold by the 
prophets, expected by tne 
Jews themselves, and earnest- 
ly longed for by all who look- 
ed for redemption 3 the ful- 
ness of this time is when it 
was fully come. Gal. iv. 4. 
The "fulness of God 77 is 
such a measure of perfection 
as God hath appointed to 
every one of the elect through 
Christ. Eph. iii. 19. "That 
he might be filled with all th 
fulness of God/ 7 is sharing i: 
the most ample manner in thi 
unsearchable riches of Christ. 

FURLONG, the eighth part 
of a mile— forty rods, poles, 
or perches. Luke xxiv. 13. 
John xi. 18. 

FURY, tempestuous rage 
When it is ascribed to God, 
it means not that he is dis- 
composed, but that his dispen- 
sations will resemble what 
men would do in a fury if they 
had power. How awful must 
be the condition of those o: 
whom it is poured out ! 



it 

S 



G. 

GAB'BATHA, a word of 
Chaldee or Syriac origin 
which means the 'pavement, « 
large court or apartment, 



GAD 



91 



GAL 



used as Pilate's court-room. 
John xix. 13. 

GABRIEL, the name of 
the archangel, mentioned 
Luke i. 11, 26, who appeared 
at different times to Daniel, 
Zacharias, &c. Dan. x. xii. 
It is doubtful if there be more 
than one archang-el, as the 
word never occurs in the 
plural. Some learned men 
think that the term is applied 
to Christ. 

GAD, (1.) The son of Ja- 
cob, by Zilpah, Gen. xxx j 
(2.) A tribe in Israel, derived 
from this patriarch, Num. 
xxvi. 15 — 18 j (3.) The name 
of the province or canton oc- 
cupied by the tribe of Gad, 
I Sam. xiii. 7 ; (4.) A prophet 
who lived in the days of Da- 
vid, of whose reign he wrote 
a history, as did also Nathan 
the prophet; neither of which 
seem to have been inspired, 
or at least were not preserved 
for our use. 1 Chr. xxix. 29. 

GAD'ARA, the capital of 
Peraea, in Ccelo-Syria, stood 
about four miles eastward of 
the Sea of Tiberias. Great 
numbers of swine were kept 
here, which was directly con- 
trary to the Mosaic law. 
When Christ, in healing two 
possessed persons, suffered 
the devils to enter their herd 
of swine, and drown them, in- 
stead of being humbled by 
their punishment, they be- 
sought the Saviour to leave 
their country. About forty 
years after, the city was burnt 
by the Romans. Matthew 



(chap. viii. 28,) calls this the 
country of the Gergesenes, 
because Gergesa was the 
name of the country where 
Gadara stood, or was a city 
near to Gadara; and Christ 
healed the possessed men on 
the border between the two, or 
in a place common to both. 
Mark v. 1. It is now called 
Kadar, and sometimes Oom- 
Kias. 

GALATIA, an extensive 
province of Asia Minor, north 
of Lycaonia. It was called 
Galatia, or Gaullo-Grcecia, 
from the Gauls, to whom Ni- 
comedes, king of Bithynia, 
gave it as a reward for their 
having assisted him in his 
wars against his brother. Its 
chief city was Ancyra, now 
called Angora. About 17o 
years before Christ, it was 
reduced to a Roman province. 
The gospel was planted here 
by Paul, who wrote an epis- 
tle to these churches. Acts 
xvi. Dejotarus, for whom 
Cicero interceded, in an ora- 
tion still extant, was king of 
this country. About a. d. 
266, it was overrun by the 
Goths ; and afterward became 
a province of Turkey. It is 
now called Natolia. 

GAL'BANU3I, an odo- 
riferous gum, supposed by 
Linnaeus to be obtained by 
incision from the ferula gal 
banifera, which grows in A- 
rabia, Syria, Africa, fcc. It 
constituted an ingredient in 
the holy anointing oil. Ex. 
xxx. 34. 



GAL 



92 



GAR 



GALILEE, the northern 
part of Canaan, comprehend- 
ing- Issachar, Zebulun, Naph- 
tali, and Asher. The upper 
part was called Galilee of the 
Gentiles, from its containing" 
many Gentile inhabitants out 
of the neighboring nations ; as 
the Phoenicians, Syrians, &c. 
This mixture of population 
corrupted the dialect 3 hence 
Peter was detected by his 
speech. Mark xiv. 70. Our 
Saviour and most of the dis- 
ciples were educated here 3 
and here were most of the 
miracles wrought. On this 
account, Jesus and his follow- 
ers were often called Gali- 
leans. Luke xxiii. 6. Acts 
ii. 7. 

Galilee, Sea of. See 
Gennesareth. 

GALL, a general name for 
whatever is very bitter, nau- 
seous, or poisonous. Several 
different words, of the original 
Scriptures, are translated by 
this term. In Job xvi. 13, it 
means the animal secretion so 
called. In Matt, xxvii. 34, 
it seems synonymous with 
myrrh. The word occurs me- 
taphorically, meaning great 
troubles, Jer. viii. 14 5 ex- 
ceeding wickedness, Amos vi. 
12 ; abominable depravity of 
heart ; Acts viii. 23. 

GALLIO was brother to 
Seneca, the famous moralist, 
and adopted son of Lucius 
Junius Gallio, after whom he 
was named. Under Claudius, 
he became governor of Achaia. 
He acted as a judg-e very . 



mildly and properly, when a 
rabble, under the influence of 
Sosthenes, accused Paul 3 but 
he dreadfully erred in not in- 
quiring into the nature of 
Christianity, and accepting its 
salvation. Actsxviii. 17. Dur- 
ing 1 the reigii of the furious 
Nero, he was put to death. 

GAMA'LIEL, the distin- 
guished Pharisee under whom 
Paul studied law, grandson of 
Hillel, the famous teacher. 

GAM'MADIMS, inhabit- 
ants of Gammade, or Gamale, 
which was probably a prov- 
ince of Phoenicia. Ezek. 
xxvii. 11. The term so ren- 
dered is thought by some not 
to mean a nation, but simply 
the brave. 

GARMENT. It was the 
custom when great men of the 
East gave a feast, to make a 
present to each g-uest of a robe 
to wear on that occasion 3 and 
sometimes the silver or g-old 
cup, out of which they drank, 
was also added. This ex- 
plains Matt. xxii. 11 — 13, 
which might otherwise seem 
severe. The man acted con- 
temptuously, and insultingh f , 
and merited his doom 3 as do 
all who reject the robe of 
Christ's righteousness. Prin- 
ces, especially great kings 
and priests, generally wore 
white garments 3 such were 
also worn on the occasions of 
great joy and gladness. Eccl. 
ix. 8. In mourning, men gen 
erally wore sackcloth or hair- 
cloth. Prophets, when their 
messag-es were terrible, and 



GAT 



93 



G AZ 



the times dark, oft wore a 
mourning' dress of coarse stuff 
or skin. 2 Kings i. 7, 8. Matt, 
iii. 4. False prophets, in or- 
der to deceive the people, 
clothed themselves after the 
same manner. Zech. xiii. 4. 
It was common to lay up 
stores of raiment, as the fash- 
ion of dress does not alter in 
the East. Hence the Saviour 
warns men of the folly of lay- 
ing up treasures which the 
moth may consume. Matt. 
vi. 19. Luke xii. 33. Jam. 
v. 2. 

What is said in Matt. ix. 16, 
" No man putteth a piece of 
new cloth into an old gar- 
ment," Sec. is explained by 
the parallel text, Luke v. 36, 
u No man putteth a piece of 
a new garment upon an old,'-' 
that is, no man cuts up a new 
coat to mend an old one. 
See Raiment. 

GATE, the entrance to a 
residence or fortified place. 
A large room was built over 
the gate on the wall of the 
city, used as a council cham- 
ber, and court of justice, or 
town hall. We have a re- 
markable example of the mode 
of procedure, in the fourth 
chapter of Ruth. It was here 
that Absalom made his sedi- 
tious speeches. 2 Sam. xv. 
Mordecai sat at the king's 
gate, not as a poor mendicant, 
but as a judge ; and therefore 
Haman said, " All this avail- 
eth me nothing, so long as I 
see Mordecai the Jew sitting 
at the king's gate." Esth. v. 



13. Peace and war were pro* 
claimed from the gate ; and 
hence, " the gates of hell," is 
a proper expression for the 
power and influence of hell, 
which shall not prevail against 
the church. Matt. xvi. 18. 

GATH, a city of Philistia, 
the capital of the people call- 
ed Gittites. It stood 14 
miles south of Joppa, and was 
one of the most ancient cities 
in the world. It still exists, 
though now a place of small 
consequence. Its present 
name is Jebna. 

Several other places appear 
to have gone under this name : 
one in Galilee, where Jonah 
was born, Josh. xix. 13, 2 
Kings xiv. 25 ; one in the 
tribe of Dan 5 and another in 
Manasseh. Josh. xxi. 24. 

GAZA, (1.) A city of 
the Ephraimites, 1 Chron. vii. 
28, now called Razza. (2.) 
A city between Palestine and 
Egypt, and about two miles 
and a half from the Mediterra- 
nean Sea. It was anciently 
a city of the Philistines, but 
included in the tribe of Judah, 
who conquered it after the 
death of Joshua. Jud. i. 18. 
The Philistines retook it, and 
kept possession of it till the 
reign of David. Samson car- 
ried the gates of it to the top 
of a high hill on the road to- 
wards Hebron : afterward he 
was imprisoned, and died 
here. Jud. xvi. During the 
reign of David, it was recon- 
quered by the Jews, and re- 
mained subject to them many 



GEN 



94 



GEN 



years. During the wars of 
Alexander, it was laid waste 5 
and a new town of the same 
name being laid out not far 
distant, it fell into decay, and 
became desolate, according 
to the prediction, Zeph. ii. 4. 
The old town is referred to 
in Acts viii. 26, as " Gaza 
which is desert." 

GENEALOGY, a list of 
ancestors ) an account or his- 
tory of the rise, progress and 
present state of any person 
or family, showing the regu- 
lar descent. The exactness 
of the Jews in this respect, 
was ordered, that it might be 
certainly known, of what tribe 
and family the Messiah was 
born. After the birth of 
Christ, such circumspection 
was unnecessary ; and if per- 
sisted in, could only indicate 
an unchristian pride of an- 
cestry j as will appear from 
the words of the apostle Paul, 
I Tim. i. 4. Tit. iii. 9. The 
difference in the genealogies 
of Christ, as given by Mat- 
thew and Luke, arose from 
one giving the line of Joseph, 
the other of Mary. 

GENERATION signifies, 
in Scripture, (1.) Posterity, 
offspring. Gen. x. 1. (2.) 
Line of descent. The " book 
of the generation of Jesus 
Christ," is a history of his 
lineage, life, and death. Matt. 
i. 1. (3.) The persons exist- 
ing at any particular period. 
Matt. i. 17. "This genera- 
tion shall not pass away till 
all these things be fulfilled," 



Matt. xxiv. 34, means eithei 
that the people living in the 
time of Christ, should not be 
all dead, when Jerusalem, and 
the Jewish nation, would be 
ruined by the Romans} or, that 
the Jewish nation should not 
pass away till his second com- 
ing. We certainly see them 
subsisting at this day, a dis- 
tinct and separate generation. 
In Christ's time, the Jews 
were a faithless, perverse and 
untoward generation. Mark 
ix. 19. Acts ii. 40. The 
saints are " a chosen gene- 
ration," i.e. literally an elected 
race. 1 Pet. i. 2, and ii. 9. 

GENESIS, the name of 
the first book of the Holy 
Scriptures. This title is de- 
rived from a Greek word, 
which signifies generation, or 
beginning. The book con- 
tains an account of the be- 
ginning or creation of the 
world, and settles forever that 
question which heathen sages 
could never decide — Whence 
sprung this earth, and its in- 
habitants 1 The disclosure of 
this grand truth, that the Au- 
thor of all things is one glori- 
ous, supreme, and self-exist- 
ent Being, establishes the 
grand principle and founda- 
tion of all religion ai.d moral- 
ity, and is the source of com- 
fort and hope to the human 
family. 

This book comprises a pe- 
riod of 2369 years 5 and beside 
the history of the creation, it 
contains an account of man's 
original innocence 5 his fall 3 



GEN 



95 



GER 



the propagation of mankind ; 
the rise of religion ; the cor- 
ruption of the world ; the de- 
luge; the repeoplingand divis- 
ion of the earth ; the history 
of the first patriarchs ; and the 
settlement of Israel in Egypt. 
It was written by Moses ; 
probably during his exile in 
the land of Midian. 

GENNES'ARETH, a fine 
lake, sixteen miles long, and 
five or six broad. Its waters 
are exceedingly sweet and 
pure, and abound with fish. 
The northern coast is said to 
be covered with basaltes, la- 
va, and other volcanic pro- 
ductions. Its edges are not 
marshy, but form sandy beach- 
es, from which fine hills rise, 
covered once with the beauty 
of cultivation, but now silent 
and drear. It is very subject, 
from the character of the sur- 
rounding hills, to sudden gusts 
of wind 3 and when these come 
from the south, and oppose 
the current of the Jordan, its 
surface is very rough, as was 
the ca^e when Christ walked 
on the water to his disciples. 
Matt. xiv. 24-^2G. It is the 
same as the Sea of Tiberias, 
John xxi. 1, and Sea of Gali- 
lee, Matt. iv. 18) and xiv. 34. 

GENTILE, a term applied 
by the Jews to all who were 
not of their religion; one ig- 
norant of the true God ; a hea- 
then or pagan, sometimes 
called a Greek. Rom. i. 14. 
I Cor. i. 22, &c. Paul is 
commonly called the apostle 
of the Gentiles, 1 Tim. ii. 7, 



as he was principally sent to 
preach Christ to them ; where- 
as Peter and the other apos- 
tles preached generally to the 
Jews, and were therefore call- 
ed the apostles of the circum- 
cision. Gal. ii. 7. That the 
ancient and godly Jews de- 
sired the conversion of the 
Gentiles, appears from the 
prayer which Solomon ad- 
dresses to God after the dedi- 
cation of the temple. 1 Kings 
viii. 41—43. The Psalmist 
says that the Lord shall give 
the Gentiles to the Messiah 
for an inheritance. Ps. ii. 8. 
And the Christian church is 
now composed almost wholly 
of Gentiles. 

Court of the Gentiles 
See Temple. 

GENTLENESS, though 
little admired by the world, 
compared with enterprise, 
bravery, &c. is, in the sight of 
God, an important virtue. 
Jam. iii. 17. It stands oppos- 
ed to harshness, bluntness, ar 
rogance, oppression, and bit 
terness. When applied to 
God, gentleness means his 
gracious condescension and 
favor. Ps. xviii. 35. 

GE'RAH, the teast of Jew- 
ish money, being the twentieth 
part of a shekel. Ex.xxx 13. 

GER'IZIM, a fine moun- 
tain in the tribeship of E- 
phraim, on which the Samari- 
tan temple was built, because 
the Jews would not allow the 
Samaritans to help them to 
build their temple. 2 Kings 
xvii. Ezra iv. It was begun 



GI A 



96 



GIF 



B. c. 408 years. About the 
time it was finished, two re- 
markable events occur in 
profane history — Xenophon 
brought home the Greeks that 
followed Cyrus 5 and Socra- 
tes was put to death by the 
Athenians. This temple was 
destroyed by Hyrcanus, a 
Jewish prince, 129 years be- 
fore Christ. The Samaritans 
have continued to esteem the 
spot sacred, even to this da}', 
often going there to worship 
God. John iv. 20. It is about 
one thousand feet high. 

GERSHON1TES, a branch 
of the priestly race, descended 
from Gershon, the eldest son 
of Levi. It was their busi- 
ness to carry the vails and 
curtains of the tabernacle. 
Numb. iii. 21—25, and iv. 
24 — 28. On settling in Ca- 
naan, thirteen cities were as- 
signed them. Josh. xxi. 16-— 
33 

GETHSEM'ANE, a retir- 
ed garden at the foot of the 
Mount of Olives. Luke xxii. 
40. The remains of its stone 
wall are yet seen, and eight 
ancient olive trees. Matt, 
xxvi. 

GIANT, a man of extraor- 
dinary stature or might. That 
there were races of men in 
ancient times who far exceed- 
ed the present size of man, 
seems at least highly proba- 
ble. Gen. vi. 4. Numb. xiii. 
33. In the days of David, 
there was a family of giants, 
of whom Goliath was one. 2 
sSain. xxi. After this, we read 



no more of giants in Canaan. 
Not only in Scripture, but 
in the writings of Homer, 
Herodotus, Pliny, Plutarch, 
Virgil, &c. we read of giants 
in stature. 

GIBEAH, a city of Benja- 
min, situated on a fine hill 
four miles north of Jerusalem, 
Josh. xv. 57. It was for a 
while the royal residence of 
Saul. 

GIBEON, a city five miles 
north of Jerusalem, the in- 
habitants of which deceived 
Joshua by sending a deputa- 
tion to him to make a treat) 
of peace, whose dress, &c. in- 
dicated that they had come 
from a very great distance, 
and consequently did not be- 
long to any of the nations 
which God had commanded 
them to destroy, and whose 
country they were to occupy. 
The covenant was kept by the 
Hebrews, though thus falsely 
obtained ; and instead of 
being destroyed, they were 
made to serve as u hewers of 
wood and drawers of water." 
Josh. ix. and x. 

GI'ER-EA'GLE, an Egyp- 
tian species of vulture,remark- 
able for affection to its young. 
It may be found described 
in Bruce under the name 
Rachma. 

GIFT, that which is given 
without pay. It is applied in 
an eminent manner to Jesus 
Christ, God's " unspeakable 
gift. 7; Our Lord says to the 
woman of Samaria, " If thou 
knewest the gift of God, viz. 



GIR 



97 



GLA 



Him that saith to thee, Give 
me to drink," &c. John iv. 
10. When Christ ascended 
up on high, he received gifts 
for the rebellious. Ps. lxviii. 
18. Of these he poured down 
on the day of Pentecost, and 
gave some apostles, prophets, 
&c. Faith is the gift of God, 
Eph ii. 8 j and as the wages 
of sin is death, so the " gift 
of God is eternal life." Rom. 
vi. 23. Every good and per- 
fect gift comes from God. 
Jam. i. 17. « The gifts and 
calling of God are without re- 
pentance 3" that is, what he 
hath given, according to his 
divine and eternal purpose, 
cannot be reversed. 

GIL'BOA, a ridge of moun- 
tains in the north of Palestine. 
Some of the peaks rise 1000 
feet above the level of the 
sea. 1 Sam. xxviii. 4. 

GILEAD, a mountainous 
district extending from Leba- 
non to Moab, eastward of the 
river Jordan, famous for balm, 
Jer. viii. 22, and for pasture. 
Songs iv. 1. The northern 
part of this range was called 
Bashan. 

GILGAL. (1.) A city near 
Jericho, where was an altar. 1 
Sam. xi. 15. Idols were wor- 
shipped here in after times. 
Hos. iv. 15. (2.) A city near 
Antipatris, Josh.xii.23. There 
remained a village on this 
spot, called Galgulis, for sev- 
eral hundred years after 
Christ. 

GIRDLE, any thing bound 
round tbe waist. It is still 



necessary in the East, be* 
cause of the long, loose rai- 
ment worn by both sexes. 
Girdles were sometimes ex- 
cessively costly. All classes 
strove to obtain those of value. 
Girdles of leather were worn 
in token of humility, as by 
Elijah, 2 Kings i. 8 ; and John 
the Baptist, Matt. iii. 4. Gir- 
dles of sackcloth were marks 
of humiliation, worn in times 
of mourning. Isa. iii. 24. To 
have the loins girded, Luke 
xii. 35, is to be always pre- 
pared for any service that 
God may require, and be like 
servants who are ready to 
obey their masters' commands. 

GIT'TITH. See Psalm. 

GLASS is not mentioned 
in the Old Testament, not 
being known in those times. 
According to Pliny and Taci- 
tus, the Phoenicians were the 
inventors of glass ; but De Pan 
regards their narrative as fab- 
ulous. It was probably not 
made in Rome previous to 
the reign of Tiberius. Speci- 
mens of glass have been dis- 
covered among the ruins of 
Herculaneum, (destroyed in 
the first century of the Chris- 
tian era,) but they might have 
been imported from the East. 
Mirrors were, in early times, 
made of plates of metal high- 
ly polished. Ex. xxxviii. 8. 
The Ethiopians anciently pre- 
served their dead bodies in 
large glasses. The invention 
of burning-glasses is com- 
monly ascribed to Archimedes i 
of Sicily, who lived b. c. 200. 



GLO 



98 



GNA 



Window glass was riot made 
in England till a. d. 674. The 
word of God is compared to 
a glass, because it represents 
to us our real character, as a 
glass does the face. James 
i. 23, 25. This is one great 
internal evidence of the truth 
of revelation. 

GLEAN, to collect scatter- 
ed stalks of grain, bunches of 
grapes, &c. The Jews were 
forbidden to glean their own 
fields, or fruit-trees, but were 
required to leave the remnant 
for the poor. Lev. xix. 10. 
Deut. xxiv. 21. 

GLEDE, a ravenous bird, 
thought by Bochart to be the 
black vulture. Deut. xiv. 13. 
Isa. xxxiv. 15. 

GLORIFY, to pay divine 
honor 5 to make glorious, to 
exalt to dignity. God glori- 
fies his people by adorning 
them with gifts and graces 
in this world, and by bring- 
ing them to the full pos- 
session of glory and blessed- 
ness in heaven. We are said 
to glorify God, when we as- 
cribe to him the glory of every 
excellency, whether of nature 
or of grace, Rev. iv. 11 $ when 
we believe God's promises, 
and wait for the performance, 
Rom. iv. 20 5 when we pub- 
licly acknowledge true reli- 
gion, or any truth of God, that 
is generally opposed, Luke 
xxiii. 47 3 when we suffer for 
God, 1 Pet. iv. 16 ; when we 
give thanks for benefits or 
deliverances, Luke xvii. 18 j 
when, as on the Sabbath, we 



devote ourselves only to the 
service of God, lsa. lviii. 13 ; 
and when we love, praise, ad- 
mire, and esteem Christ above 
all. 

God the Father is glorified 
in Christ the Mediator, by his 
obedience unto death, where* 
by the work of man's redemp- 
tion was consummated, and 
the justice, wisdom, mercy 
and holiness of God made 
manifest. 

God glorified Christ) by 
manifestly owning him to be 
his Son 5 by sustaining his hu- 
man nature in his temptations 
and sufferings 3 and by ena • 
bling him to triumph over his 
people's enemies in his resur- 
rection, ascension, and exalta- 
tion to his Father's right hand. 
John xvii. 1. 

GLORY. (1.) The un- 
speakable blessedness of the 
saints in heaven. Col.iii.4. 
(2.) Worldly splendor and 
greatness. " The heavens de- 
clare the glory of God 3" that 
is,manifest his infinite wisdom, 
power, and goodness, and 
ought to excite our gratitude, 
love, adoration, and praise. 
The miracles which our Sa- 
viour wrought manifested his 
glory, or his divine power. 
John iii. 11. 

GNAT, a small winged in- 
sect, very common in warm 
countries. This and other in- 
sects being apt to get into 
wine, &c. it is customary to 
pass liquors through a strainer. 
The word at in Matt, xxiii. 24, 
should be out* " Ye strain 



GOA 



99 



GOA 



out a gnnt/'* The Greek word 
&w\i£ovT£s does not mean to 
make an effort to swallow, but 
to filter. It should be remem- 
bered that by the Jewish law, 
both gnats and camels were 
unclean. 

GOAD, a rod with an iron 
point, used formerly in driving 
cattle. "The words of the 
wise are as goads, n because 
they stimulate men to dili- 
gence in good things. See 
Pricks. 



GOAT, a well-known an« 
imal, of which there are sev- 
eral varieties. The kind most 
common in Palestine is not 
very unlike those of the Unit- 
ed States, but has longer 
hair, which is manufactured 
into cloth. There is a spe- 
cies called Rock Goat, men- 
tioned in several passages of 
Scripture, and which, being 
of a singular form, is repre- 
sented in the annexed engrav- 
ing. It is the same which 




Pliny and Gesner called the 
Ibex; and JBuffon, &c. describe 
as the Bouquetin. Among the 
Germans, its familiar name 
is Stein-bock, or buck of the 
rock. It is common in all 
the mountains of Europe and 



Northern Asia. Its size h 
less than the common wild 
goat. The horns are of ex- 
traordinary size, bending back 
over the animal's body, some- 
times to the length of three 
feet. Like other goats, it is 



GOD 



100 



GOD 



peculiarly adapted for climb- 
ing, and delights in the most 
rugged mountains, staying at 
great elevation. Job xxxix. 
1. Ps. civ. 8. 1 Sam. xxiv. 2. 

The goat was worshipped 
by the Egyptians, Greeks and 
Romans, who represented the 
god Pan, their satyrs and 
other idols, in the form of 
goats. The word seirim, 
rendered " devils,'' Lev. xvii. 
21, is literally hairy ones, or 
goats. The same word is 
translated satyrs, Isa. xiii. 21. 
We read in Maimonides, that 
the Zabian idolaters worship- 
ped daemons, under the form 
of goats, imagining them to 
appear in that form 3 whence 
they called them seirim. 

The tresses of the spouse, 
Cant. iv. 1, and vi. 4, are com- 
pared to goat's hair, which 
obviously refers to the deli- 
cate, silken hair, of the East- 
ern goats. From such goat's 
nair are made the Angola 
shawls. 

The goat was eminently 
useful to the Hebrews, on ac- 
count of the delicacy of its 
flesh, the excellence of its 
fleece, the richness and abun- 
dance of its milk, the cheap- 
ness of its food, the value of 
its skin for bottles, &c. Flocks 
of goats, therefore, formed an 
important part of the wealth 
of all great men. 

GOD, the Supreme, Al- 
mighty, and Eternal One, of 
whom are all things. How- 
ever ignorant mankind may 
have been of the true char- 



acter of God, all men, in all 
ages, have, in one degree or 
another, acknowledged his 
existence. 

The names applied to the 
Godhead in Scripture are va- 
rious, and have each their 
respective significations, ap- 
plicable to the characters in 
which God has been pleased 
to reveal himself. The words 
Jehovah Elohim occur more 
than once in Genesis as the 
name of the Godhead. " And 
the Lord God (Jehovah Elo- 
him) said, Behold, the man is 
become like one of us." Gen. 
iii. 22. One of us unavoida- 
bly implies a plurality of per- 
sons. We may, in a general 
way, infer the power, good- 
ness, and some other attributes 
of God, from the works of na- 
ture j but from the Scriptures 
only can we obtain any just 
ideas of his character and at- 
tributes. The Hebrews en- 
deavor to avoid the use of 
the word God, substituting for 
it Lord, Most High, Sec. 

GODHEAD means the na- 
ture or essence of God. Col. 
ii. 9. Rom. i. 20. Acts xvii. 
29. 

GODLINESS, the whole 
revelation of God. Thus 
Paul says, " Great is the mys- 
tery of godliness." 1 Tim. iii. 
16. It sometimes means the 
imitation of God, by a holy 
life. 1 Tim. ii. 2. 2 Pet. iii. 
11. 

GODLY, that which pro- 
ceeds from or resembles God j 
thus godlv sorrow is the sor 



GO L 



101 



GOP 



row which God only can pro- 
duce, and worketh repentance. 
2 Cor. vii. 10. Godly fear is 
that fear of God which is the 
beginning- of wisdom, Heb. 
kii. 28 j and a godly man is 
he who loves God from a 
grateful sense of much for- 
giveness. Ps. xii. 1. 

GOG and Magog are terms 
usually joined together in 
Scripture, on which critics 
have expended much unsatis- 
factory labor. The probabil- 
ity seems to be that the north- 
ern barbarians are meant, or 
some of the tribes compre- 
hended under the general term 
Scythians, whose irruptions 
ir.to civilized Europe and A- 
sia were so dreadful. Ez. 
xxxviii. and xxxix. Rev. xx. 8. 

GOLD, the most precious 
metal ; seldom found in a 
state of ore, but in a native 
state 5 though even native gold 
has almost always some mix- 
ture of other metals. Native 
gold is found in pure masses, 
from the smallest grains up to 
the magnitude of 12 or 15 
ounces, and occasionally much 
larger. A mass found in South 
America/weighing 132 ounces, 
is deposited in the royal cab- 
inet at Madrid. It is found 
mingled with the sand of many 
rivers, especially in Africa, 
South America and India. 
Arabia had formerly its gold 
mines. u The gold of Sheba," 
Ps. Ixxii. 15, is in the Septua- 
gint and Arabic versions, the 
gold of Arabia. North Caro- 
lina, in the United States, is 



becoming famous for its gold 
mines. Gold is often found 
bedded in stones of various 
kinds, and even in the earth 
at the depth of one hundred 
and fifty fathoms. It is the 
most ductile of all metals 3 an 
ounce of it, not larger than a 
common bullet, having been 
drawn into a wire two hundred 
and forty miles long ! It is 
incapable of oxidization in a 
common fire 3 but the heat 
produced by a galvanic dis- 
charge can be made sufficient 
to convert the whole of the 
metal into a purple oxide. If 
exposed to the focus of a 
strong burning-glass, it flies 
off in small particles. It re- 
quires less heat to melt gold 
than iron. 

GOL'GOTHA. See Cal- 
vary. 

GOLI'ATH, a famous giar? / 
of Gath, whose height was 
eleven feet four inches. His 
brazen helmet weighed about 
15 pounds avoirdupois 3 his 
target, or collar affixed be- 
tween his shoulders to defend 
his neck, about 30 3 his spear 
was 26 feet long, and its head 
weighed 38 pounds 3 his sword 
4 3 his greaves on his legs 30 3 
and his coat of mail 156 3 and 
so the whole armor, 273 pounds 
weight. 

GO'PHER, the wood of 
which the ark was built 3 which 
kind it was, is not agreed. 
As it is scarcely probable that 
a structure so large was 
made wholly of any one spe- 
cies of wood, it is possible the 



GOS 



102 



GOU 



word may mean light, or du- 
rable wood. Vast quantities 
of cypress grew in the district 
where the ark was built. It 
occurs only in Gen. vi. 14. 

GOSHEN. There are two 
districts so called in Scrip- 
ture, which it is very impor- 
tant should not be confounded. 
(1.) That portion of Egypt 
allotted to the Hebrews, and 
mentioned so often in the 
books of Genesis and Exodus. 
(2.) A district of the Holy 
Land, included in the lot of 
Judah, and mentioned Josh. 
x. 41, and xi. 16, &c. 

GOSPEL, good neios ; a 
revelation of the grace of God 
to fallen man, through a Me- 
diator ; and a means, which, 
by the Spirit, saves men from 
perdition. The term is found 
in ancient Greek writers. Plu- 
tarch, in his life of Pompey, 
says, " The messenger arrived 
at Pontus, bringing the gos- 
pel/ 7 i. e. the joyful intelli- 
gence. The word is also 
used to mean the narrative of 
our Saviour's life, death, and 
resurrection ; and sometimes 
for the doctrines contained in 
that narrative. 

The books of Matthew, 
Mark, Luke and John are com- 
monly called Gospels. They 
show, as has been said, the 
way of salvation. In some 
parts of the New Testament, 
there are brief summaries of 
the gospel doctrine — as John 
iii. 14, 15, 16. They ex- 
hibit a morality incomparably 
superior to that of all other 



books ; in forbidding not only 
acts of sin, but the first risings 
of evil desires in the heart 5 
by inculcating the mild, pas- 
sive and lovely virtues, in- 
stead of that high-spirited and 
proud temper, which the 
world admires ; by requiring 
the forgiveness of enemies, 
and the love of them that hate 
us 3 by excluding from our 
alms, devotions, and other 
virtues, all love of fame ; by 
laying down two great princi- 
ples of morality, love to God 
and love to men 3 and by de- 
ducing thence every other 
duty 5 by exhibiting a perfect 
exemplification of all these 
excellencies in Christ 3 and 
by adding those awful sanc- 
tions which relate to an eter- 
nal world. 

The number of mankind 
living in nations enlightened 
by the gospel, is probably 

THREE HUNDRED MILLIONS, 

only. Of these, one half are 
Roman Catholics, and thirty 
millions are Greeks, whose 
churches are scarcely less 
corrupt than the Roman Ca- 
tholic. See Scripture. 

GOURD. What plant it 
was, so called, that sheltered 
Jonah, cannot now be ascer- 
tained. The statement of the 
various opinions of critics 
would not be useful. It suf- 
fices us to know it was a 
shady plant. 

The Wild Gourd, 2 Kings 
iv. 39, Celcius supposes to 
be the colocynth, a species of 
cucumber, growing wild, ex- 



GR A 



103 



GRE 



ecssively bitter and a most 
violent purgative. 

GRACE. (1.) Free and un- 
deserved favor. Divine grace 
is \he free and undeserved Jove 
of God, which is the spring and 
source of all the benefits we 
receive from him, especially 
redemption through Jesus 
Christ, llom.xi.6. (2.) Grace 
is taken for a lively sense of 
this favor, or the love and 
fear of God dwelling in the 
heart, 2 Cor. i. 12 3 and (3.) for 
the doctrine of the gospel, 
which proceeds from the grace 
of God. 2 Cor. vi. 1. 

GRAPE. This delicious 
fruit obtained great perfection 
in Palestine. It is too well 
known to need description. 
The proverb, " The fathers 
have eaten sour grapes, and 
the children's teeth ore set on 

( edge," was a wicked com- 
plaint, prevalent among the 

j Jews in the time of Jeremiah, 
that they sufTered without 

1 being guilty. Jer. xxxi. 29 3 

I Ezek. xviii. 2. 

Wild Grapes were either 
a vile species of the fruit call- 
ed in Latin labrusca ; or, as 
Hasselquist believes,the night 
shade, called by the Arabs 
wolf's grapes, " which grows 
much in vineyards, is very 
pernicious to them, and is a 
vine." The prophet could 
not have found a plant more 
opposite to the " true vine" 
than this. 

GRASS. This word in 
our translation generally 
means herbage, or all shrubs 



not included under the term 
tree. It is particularly to be 
so understood in Gen. i. 11 5 
Matt. vi. 30 3 Isa. xxxv. 7 3 
Rev. viii.7, &c. 

GRASSHOPPER, a well- 
known species of locust, very 
destructive to vegetation. 
Amos vii. 1. The law allow- 
ed them to be eaten. Lev. 
xi. 22. When it is said the 
grasshopper shall prove a 
burden, Eccl. xii. 5, it means 
that so feeble and languid is 
extreme old age, that the 
smallest annoyance or bur- 
den is distressing. 

GREAVES, that part of a 
coat of mail which defended 
the feet. 1 Sam. xvii. 16. 

GREECE, in Hebrew Ja- 
van, Isa. Ixvi. 19 3 a country 
in the south-east of Europe. 
Largely taken, it contained 
the Peloponnesus, or Morea, 
Achaia, Thessaly, Macedo- 
nia and Epirus 3 but more 
strictly, it contained only 
the three former. It is about 
400 miles from south to 
north, and 356 from east to 
west. Its present divisions 
are, Macedonia, Albania, Li- 
vadia, the Morea, the Archi- 
pelago, and Candia. It was 
probably peopled soon after 
the flood. Few countries are 
more favored by nature, as 
to its soil, climate and pro- 
ductions. Many of the most 
famous statesmen, orators 
and generals of antiquity had 
their birth here. The arts 
and sciences in Greece at- 
tained a great eminence, 



GRI 



104 



G UE 



as did also poetry and elo- 
quence. 

GREET. Sec Salute. 

GRIND ; to bruise, or break 
small, as meal is bruised in a 
mill. Anciently they had 
only hand-mills for grinding 
their meal. The stones were 
about the size of a common 
grindstone. Women and 
slaves, such as Samson was 
at Gaza, and the Hebrews at 




Babylon, were usually th< 
grinders. Jud. xvi. 21 ; Lam. 
v. 13. They sat on each side 
of the mill, one turning the 
handle half way round, and 
the other then taking hold and 
finishing the revolution. Matt, 
xxiv. 41. A clear apprehen- 
sion of the form of the mill 
and method of operating it 
may be obtained from the 
picture. It does not appear 




that there were any public 
mills or bakers, except for the 
king. Each family had a mill 
for itself, which, being so ne- 
cessary, could not lawfully be 
taken in pledge or for a debt. 
Peut. xxiv. 6. As it was cus- 
tomary to grind every even- 
ing, the desolation of a city 
is called " taking away the 
sound of the mill stones." Jer. 
xxv. 10. Christ's fallin£ on 



men, and " grinding them to 
powder," denotes their utter 
destruction for their contempt 
and rejection of him. 

GRIZZLED, colored with 
various shades ; brindled. 
When applied to horses, it 
perhaps means horses spotted, 
like dogs, with large patches 
of various colors Zech. vi. 3. 

GUEST, one bibben to par- 
take of our hospitality: For- 



HAG 



105 



HAP 



merly it was common ij give 
raiment as well as a repast. 
The loose, flowing robes, fitted 
any person, and were hung' in 
the entry for guests to put on as 
they entered the hall of ban- 
queting-. The man who had 
not ou a wedding garment was 
therefore wholly to blame, and 
offered a great insult by vio- 
lating the rules of decorum. 

GUTTER, a trough, &c. 
The gutter through which Je- 
rusalem might be entered, 
was probably a common sew- 
er, or culvert. 2 Sam. v. 8. 



H. 

HAB'AKKUK prophesied 
during the reigns of Manas- 
seh and Josiah, and was co- 
temporary with Jeremiah. 
Usher supposes that his life 
extended to the reign of Je- 
hoiakin. He predicts the 
chastisement of the Jews by 
the Chaldeans, and the subse- 
quent overthrow of the Chal- 
deans themselves ; and en- 
courages the pious to rely 
upon God for making good 
his promises to their posterity. 

HABER'GEON, a breast- 
plate worn by soldiers in for- 
mer times. Ex. xxviii. 32. 
The name seems to be given 
to a sort of lance, or harpoon. 
Neh. it. 16; Job xli. 26. 

HAGGAI, the first of the 
three prophets who flourished 
after the Jewish captivity, 



was born in Chaldea, and be- 
gan his public work of pro* 
phesying about seventeen 
years after the return from 
Babylon. He, together with 
Zechariah, excited and en- 
couraged the Jews to finish 
the temple, assuring them 
that Messiah should appear in 
the flesh, teach in the courts 
of the new temple, and ren- 
der it more glorious than the 
first. Ezra v. i. 2 ; Haggai 
i. and ii. 

HAIL, an obsolete saluta- 
tion, importing a cordial wish 
for the welfare of the persons 
addressed. 

HALE or Haul, to drag 
violently Luke xii. 58. 

HALLELU'JAH, a He- 
brew word signifying Praise 
the Lord, frequently met with 
in the Psalms and Revela- 
tion of John. 

HALLOW, to reverence 
as holy. Matt. vi. 10. 

HALT, to limp, to falter. 
To halt between two opinions 
is to stagger in mind, or vi- 
brate between contrary im- 
pressions. 1 Kings xviii. 21. 

HAM, (literally black,) the 
sen of Noah, had four sens, 
viz. Cush, Mizraim, Phut, and 
Canaan. His posterity peo- 
pled Africa, and part of the 
west of Asia. They have 
been generally wicked and 
miserable, and few of them 
have hitherto enjoyed the 
light of the gospel. From him 
the land of Egypt was called 
Chemia, or the land of Ham 
HAPLY, possibly, petr- 



HAR 



106 



HAR 



haps, peradventure. Mark 
xi. 13 j Acts v. 39. 

HARAN, (1.) The eldest 
brother of Abraham, whose 
daughter, Sarah, became A- 
braham's wife. (2.) A town, 
probably called after this per- 
son, standing on a small river 
of the same name,which flowed 
into the Euphrates, through 
the north-western part of Mes- 
opotamia. Near this town 
occurred the celebrated de- 
feat, by the Parthians, of the 
Roman army under Crassus, 
who was slain, with 20,000 of 
his men, b. c. 53. The place 
still retains its ancient name, 
and is peopled by a few 
Arabs. 

HARNESS, properly the 
furniture of a horse, Jer. xlvi. 
4 ; but it means more fre- 
quently a coat of mail, or set 
of defensive armor. 1 Kings 
xxii. 34. The children of Is- 
rael went up out of Israel 
Jiarnessed, that is, equipped 
for battle. 

HARP, an instrument com- 
posed of a hollow base, with 
two branches, to which were 
fastened three, six, or nine 
strings. That kind invented 
by Jubal, the descendant of 
Cain, and used by the an- 
cients, is now disused. From 
Isaiah's saying that his bow- 
els sounded in mourning as 
a harp, and from other evi- 
dences, it would seem that its 
sound was grave and plain- 
tive. It was capable, how- 
ever, of producing the most 
majestic sounds, suited to the 



high praises of God. 2 Sam. 
vi. 5. From the fact that Da- 
vid danced while he played 
the harp before the ark, that 
which he then used must have 
been light, like a lyre, or gui- 
tar. During the captivity in 
Babylon, the Levitical sing- 
ers hung their harps, as use- 
less, on the willow trees on the 
banks of the Euphrates and 
other rivers in Chaldea. Ps. 
cxxxvii. 2. The Greeks and 
Romans derived the harp from 
the Eastern barbarians. The 
modern harp is one of the 
noblest of instruments, and is 
vastly superior in power and 
compass to those in ancient 
use. 

HART, a stag, or male 
deer. Ps. xlii. 1 5 Isa. xxxv. 
6. See Hind. 

HARVEST, the time of 
gathering the fruits of the 
earth. In Canaan it began in 
March, and was finished about 
the middle of May. Any time 
of gainful labor is called har- 
vest ; hence, a " sleeper in 
harvest causeth shame''' to 
himself and friends. Prov. x. 
5. A people ripened by sin 
for destruction, are likened to 
a harvest ready for the sickle 
of God's vengeance. Isa. 
xviii.x5j Joel iii. 13; Rev. 
xiv. 15. A remarkable time 
of success of the gospel is 
called harvest. Matt. ix. 37, 
38 ; John iv. 35. The day of 
judgment is likened to a har- 
vest j then all things shall be 
ripe for a dissolution Matt 
xiii. 



HE A 



107 



HEA 



HAWK, a general name 
for several rapacious birds, of 
the falcon family. Deut. xiv. 
5. It was consecrated by 
the Greeks to Apollo. It is 
migratory. Job xxxix. 26 

HAY. There is no hay 
made in the East ; so that this 
word, in both places where it 
occurs, viz. Prov. xxvii. 25, 
Isa. xv. 16, is improper, and 
means the Jirst springing 
shoots of grass. 

HEAR, to receive sounds 
by the ear. To hear the word 
of God, means (1.) a mere 
listening 1 without laying to 
heart, Matt. xiii. 19} (2.) to 
yield a willing assent, with a 
firm purpose to believe and 
obey it. John viii. 47. God 
is said to hear prayer when 
he grants our requests. 

HEART, the seat of the 
affections and passions. God 
only knows it. Jer. xvii. 10. 
The Lord Jesus Christ, who 
demonstrated his Godhead on 
many occasions, by searching 
the heart, declares that from 
the heart of man proceeds 
every evil. Matt. xv. 18. As 
the great evil which corrupts 
and defiles the heart is unbe- 
lief, so the only purifier of 
the heart mentioned in the 
Scripture is faith. Acts xv. 
9. >r With the heart man be- 
lieveth unto righteousness j" 
that is, sincere and saving 
faith engages the affections. 
Rom. x. 10. This is called 
the u righteousness of faith." 
Rom. iv. 13. 

HEATH, a lowly shrub, 



growing in desert places j 
whence such barren spots are 
called in England heaths, 
whether that plant be found 
on them or not. It bears do 
fruit, is worthless as fodder, 
and is reckoned by Pliny 
among the " unhappy plants." 
Men who trust in man, and 
not in God, are " like the 
heath in the desert," which 
vainly strikes its roots into a 
soil not capable of giving it 
vigor. Jer. xvii. 6. To this 
lonely, unpleasant plant, per- 
sons are compared who fly 
their country or homes, and 
endure hardships in secluded 
places. Jer. xlviii. 6. 

HEATHEN, a term which, 
like the word Gentile, was 
applied by the Jews to all 
who were not Hebrews. It 
is now confined to those who 
worship false gods, and in- 
cludes all those who are 
not Jews, Mahommedans, or 
Christians. More than two 
thirds of the human race be- 
long to this class ! The coun- 
tries which are yet pagan are 
all that part of Africa which 
lies between the tropic of 
Cancer and the Cape of Good 
Hope, the aborigines of 
North and South America, 
China, Burmah, Hindostan, 
Tartary, Japan, and many 
islands in the Indian and 
other oceans. They are 
called Pagans, from the 
Greek word nayrj (paga), a 
fountain, or rural place j or 
from the Latin word paganus r 
a countryman, or rustic, be- 



H E A 108 II E B 

HEAVE-OFFERING was 

the name given to portions of 
animals, grain, meal, fruits, 
&c. brought by the people for 
the use of the priests and Le- 
vites, and which were first 
heaved or waved before God 
as an offering and acknowl- 
edgment to him. Num. xv. 20. 
HEBREWS. Some learn- 
ed men suppose this name to 
be derived from Heber, an 
ancestor of Abraham. It is 
more probable that they re- 
ceived it from their coining 
from beyond the river, as the 
word means to pass over. The 
Hebrew nation began in A- 
braham. In Isaac and Ja- 
cob it continued small 5 but 
when the children of the lat- 
ter settled in Egypt, they 
grew to a great multitude. 
Being brought forth under 
Moses, (then numbering about 
three millions,) they wandered 
40 years in the desert, and 
were settled in Canaan under 
Joshua. They were govern- 
ed, in the name of Jehovah, 
by judges, till the time of 
Saul. This is what Josephus 
calls a Theocracy. It became 
a great kingdom under David, 
and still more so under Solo- 
mon, but under Rehoboam 
was split into the kingdoms of 
Judah and Israel. At length, 
for their sins, they were scat- 
tered and carried captive. 
Under Zerubbabel some colo- 
nies returned, rebuilt the tem- 
ple, commonly called the sec- 
ond temple, and set up a 
kingdom which lasted 140 



cause Christianity was first 
taught and planted in cities, 
while the ignorant country 
people adhered longer to their 
old superstitions. It is a 
strong argument in favor of 
Christianity, that it seeks not 
concealment, to work on ig- 
norance, but comes forth to 
the day, and challenges learn- 
ing and power. Its early 
conquests were in the chief 
cities of the earth, where edu- 
cation was most enjoyed 3 
and in all ages, learning and 
science have been its hand- 
maids. See Gentile. 

HEAVEN. The Jews 
spoke of three heavens 3 — (1.) 
the atmosphere, or lower re- 
gion of the air, in which birds 
and vapors fly. Job xxxv. 
11 3 Matt. xvi. 1. (2.) The 
expanse above, in which the 
stars are disposed, and which 
they seem to have thought 
was a solid concave. Matt, 
xxiv. 29. (3.) The habitation 
of God, where his power and 
glory are more immediately 
and fully manifested, and 
where good angels and pure 
departed souls pay their con- 
tinual adoration ; the resi- 
dence or abode of the blessed 5 
the sacred mansion of light, 
and joy, and glory, where the 
body will be revived to a 
glorious life, and the soul live 
in constant communion with 
God in Christ. 2 Cor. xii. 2. 
The "kingdom of heaven" 
often means, in the New Tes- 
tament, the reign of Christ on 
earth, or gospel dispensation. 



HEB 



109 



HEB 



years, under the auspices of 
Persia. They then fell to 
Alexander, then to Egypt, 
then to Syria, then became 
independent under the Mac- 
cabees, and then submitted to 
the Romans. They, however, 
continued a separate nation 
until a. d. 72, when, under 
Titus, the city was destroyed, 
and they were finally scattered. 
They have been severely per- 
secuted in every subsequent 
age of the world, and in every 
nation whither they went. 
During the prevalence of the 
crusades, thousands were 
murdered by the Christian 
armies on their march to 
rescue Canaan from the Turks, 
and thousands of them de- 
stroyed their own children lest 
they should fall into the cru- 
saders' hands. In almost 
every century, false Messiahs 
have appeared, whose sedi- 
tious operations have caused 
the death of vast numbers. 
Even a brief account of their 
sufferings and degradations 
would fill volumes. In Spain 
and Portugal, where their 
treatment has been exceed- 
ingly severe, a great number 
of papists, even monks and 
bishops, are Jews in disguise, 
and secretly train their children 
in the Hebrew faith. Jews are 
still found in most parts of the 
earth, though every where de- 
graded and oppressed either 
by custom or law. Their 
number now amounts to 3 or 
4 millions. About 1 mil- 
.ion are in the Turkish em- 
10 



pire, which now embraces the 
Holy Land. In Europe they 
are numerous, especially in 
Poland, where there are 
500,000 ; viz. Gallicia, 90,000; 
Prussian Poland, chiefly in 
Warsaw, Thorn, Paren and 
Lissa, 110,000; Russian Po- 
land, chiefly in Wilna,Kauen, 
Grodno, Pinck and Mohilow, 
where they have a university, 
300,000. 

As to the rest of Europe, 
there are in Hungary, chiefly 
at Bresburgh, Newratz and 
Miskolz, 76,000 ; in Germany, 
chiefly at Frankfort on the 
Maine, Prague,Furth and Ber 
lin, 200,000 ; in Holland, 
20,000; in England, 14,000; 
in France, 50,000. 

They are also numerous 
in the Barbary States and the 
Levant. In the United States 
there are not more than 3000. 
Most Jews are traders and 1 
brokers ; few, if any, choose 
to cultivate the soil. The an- 
cient distinction of tribes 
seems wholly lost, but they 
are now divided into sects. 
Of these, the principal, at the 
present time, are the Rabbin- 
ical and the Karaite. See 
Sect. 

An "Hebrew of the He- 
brews/' is one, both of whose 
parents are Hebrews. Phil, 
iii. 5. Sometimes only those 
Jews were called Hebrews 
who spoke the Hebrew lan- 
guage,^ contradistinction to 
the Jews, who spoke the 
Greek. Acts vi. 1. 

When the Epistle to the 



HED 



no 



HEM 



Hebrews was written is un- 
certain. Perhaps Paul wrote 
it towards the close of his first 
imprisonment at Rome. It 
ranks among the most impor- 
tant portions of the Holy Ora- 
cles 7 find contains, among 
other things, proof of the di- 
vinity, humanity, atonement 
and priesthood of Christ 5 the 
real object and meaning of 
the Mosaic ritual \ and numer- 
ous admirable practical ob- 
servations and encourage- 
ments. See Jerusalem. 

HE'BRON, called original- 
ly Area, or KlRJATH-ARBA, 
because Arba, the noted giant, 
was king of it. It was built 
on a hill, not long after the 
flood, Numb. xiii. 22 5 and 
stood 22 miles south of Jeru- 
salem. Here Anak and his 
father and sons dwelt 3 but 
Caleb, receiving it for his in- 
heritance, expelled these gi- 
ants, and called it Hebron, 
after one of his sons. Josh. 
xiv. 13, 14. It was made a 
city of refuge, and given to 
the priests. David reigned 
here seven years over Judah, 
before he was crowned over 
all Israel. 2 Sam. ii. 11, and 
v. 3. Here Absalom first set 
up for king. 2 Sam. xv. It 
is now little else than a heap 
of ruins, compared to its for- 
mer extent and beauty. The 
number of houses is estimated 
at 400. It was visited by 
Mr. Fisk in 1824, who informs 
us that, its present name is 
Haleel Rahman. 

HEDGE, something that 



encloses or defends. 1 Chron. 
iv. 13 5 Job i. 10. Troubles 
are called hedges, as they ar 
rest our career of sin. Lam. 
iii. 7 5 Job xix. 8. The way 
of the slothful is a hedge of 
thorns, i. e. he always sees 
difficulties, or always entan- 
gles himself in trouble. 

HEIR, one who is to suc- 
ceed to an estate. Christians 
are heirs of God both by birth 
and by 10M ; an important 
and delightful consideration. 
Rom. iv. 14. The term ut- 
terly precludes the idea of our 
meriting or earning our heav- 
enly portion. 

HELIOPOLIS. See On. 

HELL, the place of pun- 
ishment for the wicked after 
this life 5 also the grave, or 
state of the dead. By the 
" gates of hell," Matt. xvi. 18, 
is meant the power and poli- 
cy of the devil and his instru- 
ments. The expression is de 
rived from the fact that courts 
of legislation and justice were 
often held in rooms at or over 
the gates of walled cities. It 
is therefore equivalent to say- 
ing the counsels of hell. 

HELMET, a cap of metal 
or strong leather for protect- 
ing a soldier's head, 1 Sam. 
xvii. 5. Salvation is God's 
helmet ; the hope of it render- 
ing God's people courageous 
in their spiritual warfare. 
Eph. vi. 17. 1 Thes. v. 8. 

HEMLOCK. The plant so 
called in Scripture, seems to 
mean the water-hemlock, Deut. 
xxix. 18, Hos. x. 4 5 and not 



HER 



111 



HER 



tee stately tree which bears 
this name. 

HERESY, an opinion con- 
trary to the fundamental prin- 
ciples of religion, maintained 
with obstinacy and a refusal 
to admit conviction. Chris- 
tianity was called a sect, or 
heresy, by Tertullus and the 
profane Jews. Acts xxiv. 5, 
14. 

HERMON, the most ele- 
vated summit in the range of 
the Anti-Libanus j 8950 feet 
above the level of the sea. 
The Sidonians called it Sii~i- 
on; and the Amorites. Shenir. 
Deut. iii. 9. Its dews are co- 
pious and refreshing". Psal. 
cxxxiii. 3. The snow lies on 
it during" most of the summer, 
and was formerly carried to 
Tyre, as ice is brought into 
our cities, and sold in sum- 
mer as a luxury. 

HER'OD. Four persons 
of this name arc mentioned in 
the New Testament. 

1. Herod the Great, 
the son of Antipater, was 
born about b. c. 70. His fa- 
ther is said by some to have 
been a Jew j by others, an 
Idumean proselyte. He van- 
quished and extirpated the 
family of the Maccabees about 
B. c. 37. His character was 
exceedingly ferocious and 
sensual. His frequent mur- 
ders and ungovernable tem- 
per rendered him miserable 5 
and to occupy his thoughts, as 
well as to ingratiate himself 
with the Jews, he rebuilt their 
•emple and rendered it ex- 



ceedingly stately and glori- 
ous. He also built other im- 
portant edifices, and institut- 
ed various public sports. 
When the wise men from the 
East made inquiry in Jerusa- 
lem for the new-born King of 
the Jews, he desired them to 
bring him back word where 
and how he might find him, 
being resolved to murder him, 
while but an infant. Being 
disappointed, he ordered to 
be destroyed every child in 
and about Bethlehem, under 
two years old, that he might 
make sure of murdering the 
Messiah among them. He 
died in a miserable manner, 
a year or two after this atro- 
cious action. 

2. Herod Antipas, son 
of Herod the Great, had the 
tetrarchy of Galilee and Pe- 
rea, by the last will of his 
father. He divorced his first 
wife, and took* Herodias, the 
wife of Philip, who still lived. 
For reproving this incestuous 
marriage, John was imprison- 
ed and beheaded. Matt. xiv. 
3 — 12. This was he to whom 
Pilate sent our Saviour, and 
by whom he was mocked and 
arrayed in a gorgeous robe. 
Luke xxiii. 8 — 11. He was 
uncle to Herod Agrippa, and 
great uncle to that Agrippa 
who, by Paul's discourse, was 
11 almost persuaded to be a 
Christian." 

3. Herod Agrippa, the 
son of Aristobulus, grandson 
of Herod the Great, was ap- 
pointed by Caligula to the go 



HID 



112 



HIN 



rernment of Abilene. About 
a. d. 44, or perhaps 49, he 
caused the murder of James 
the son of Zebedee. Observ- 
ing- the Jews pleased with this, 
ho apprehended Peter, in- 
tending to murder him also, 
for their further gratification. 
But Providence defeated his 
designs, by cutting him off in 
a miserable manner at Cesa- 
rea, where he was flattered 
by the multitude crying out 
that he spoke like a god. 
Acts xii. and xxiii. 35. He 
reigned seven or ten years, 
and was the father of Agrip- 
pa, Bernice, Drusilla, and 
Mariamne. 

4. Herod Agrippa II. 
son of the preceding, is men- 
tioned in the New Testament 
only by the name of Agrip- 
pa. He was born a. d. 20. 
Festus brought Paul before 
him, who almost persuaded 
him to be a Christian. Acts 
xxv. and xxvi. After the de- 
struction of Jerusalem, he 
went to Rome, where he died 
at the age of 70. 

HERODIANS a sect a- 
mong the Jews, so named 
from Herod the Great. It is 
thought, by some, that he was 
regarded by them as the 
promised Messiah. 

HER'OM, a bird of the 
crane species. It is only men- 
tioned Lev. xi. 19, and Deut. 
xiv. 18. 

HID'DEKEL, the Tigris, 
a noble river rising in the 
mountains of Armenia, and 
issuing in the Persian Gulf. 



On it once stood the grea 
cities Nineveh, Ctesiphon, 
and Selucia ; and at present, 
the cities of Bagdad, Mosul, 
Diarbekir, &c. Gen. ii. 14 j 
Dan. x. 4. 

HIERAP'OLIS, a city 
near Colosse, early blessed 
with gospel light. Col. iv. 
13. It was destroyed by an 
earthquake, in the times of 
the apostles. The ruins are 
still visible, and the place is 
called by the Turks Pambuk 
Kalasi. 

HIGH PLACES, hills on 
which were groves, altars, Sec. 
for worship. Gen. xxii. At 
first Jehovah was there wor- 
shipped, then idols. When 
the temple was built, they 
were strictly forbidden, but 
seem never to have been 
wholly abolished. 2 Kings 
xv. 3, 4 ; xvi. 3, 4, &c. 

HIN, a liquid measure, 
containing about three of our 
quarts. It was the sixth part 
of an ephah. 

HIND, a female deer, no- 
ted for elegance of form and 
affection to its mate. Pro v. 
v. 19. Like other deer, it is 
very swift and sure-footed. 
Ps. xviii. 33. 

HINNOM, a valley, or ra- 
ther ravine,onthe south side of 
Jerusalem, closed in on one 
side by the steep side of 
Mount Zion, and on the other 
by a line of cliffs less elevated. 
From some point in these 
cliffs, tradition relates that 
Judas sought Ins desperate 
end The position of tbe 



HOL 



113 



HOM 



trees, which in various places 
overhang 1 the brow of the 
cliff, accords with the com- 
mon opinion that, when he 
hung himself, the rope break- 
ing, he fell, and his bowels thus 
were made to gush out. This 
valley was once selected for 
its shade and privacy for the 
worship of Moloch. See 

TOPHET. 

HOLY 3 pious, religious, 
Mark vi. 20; sacred, divine, 
Luke i. 72 j hallowed, conse- 
crated to divine use, Matt. vii. 
65 Luke ii. 23 3 pure, free 
from the pollution of sin, Eph. 
i. 4 ; Col. i. 22. It is applied 
to the Trinity — to the Father, 
Lev. xix. 2 j Ps. cxlv. 17 3 to 
the Son, Ps. xvi. 10 3 Luke i. 
35, iv. 34 ; Acts iii. 14 3 and 
it is the common epithet of 
the third Person of the glori- 
ous Trinity. It is applied also 
to angels, Matt. xxv. 31 3 and 
to persons and things dedi- 
cated to God, Ex. xxx. 35 3 
rxxi. 14. The saints are call- 
ed holy by separation and 
choice, 1 Pet. ii. 9 ; by the 
imputation of Christ's holiness 
or righteousness to them, 
Ezek. xvi. 14 ; 2 Cor. v. 21 5 
by partaking of a holy prin- 
ciple of grace, whereby the 
soul is renewed in holiness 
by degrees, till it attain a per- 
fection of it. Heb. xii. 23. 

HOLY GHOST, the third 
Person of the holy Trinity. 
The proofs of his essential 
divinity are, (1.) He is ex- 
pressly called God, Acts v. 
3, 4. (2.) Attributes peculiar 
10# 



to Jehovah are ascribed to 
him, as eternity, Heb. ix. 14, 
omniscience, 1 Cor. ii. 10, 11 5 
omnipresence, Ps. cxxxix. 7. 
(3.) Works which only God 
can perform, are ascribed to 
him, Ps. liii. 6 3 Job xxvi. 13 ; 
Luke i.35 3 2 Pet. i. 21 j John 
xvi. 13 3 Rom. xv. 16. (4.) 
The same divine worship is 
paid to him as to the Father 
and the Son, Matt, xxviii. 19 j 
2 Cor. xiii. 14 5 2 Thess. iii. 5. 
(5.) In the Greek a masculine 
article is joined to his name. 
Pneuma, which is naturally 
of the neuter gender. (6.) 
Things affirmed of God in 
some passages of Scripture 
are in others attributed to the 
Holy Ghost. Among many 
others compare 1 Cor. iii. 16, 
with vi. 19, and 2 Tim. iii. 16, 
with 2 Pet. i. 21. (7.) Bap- 
tism is administered in his 
name, and the apostolic bene- 
diction. When he is spoken 
of as given or sent by the Fa- 
ther or the Son, it is to be 
understood of his particular 
station or agency in the plan 
of redemption. 

By him sinners are con- 
victed, John xvi. 9 3 enlight- 
ened, Eph. i. 17, 18 5 regene- 
rated, John iii. 5, 6 3 sanctified 7 
1 Pet. i. 2. 

Baptism of the Holy Ghost, 
which was enjoyed in the 
apostolic age, and is describ- 
ed Acts ii. 1— 4, was attended 
with the gift of tongues and 
power of working miracles. 

HOMER, a Hebrew meas- 
ure of twenty-four bushels, 



HOP 



114 



HOR 



thought to be the same as the 
Cor. Ezek. xlv. 14. 

HONEY was produced in 
great quantities in the land of 
Palestine, and was an article 
of exportation. Ezek. xxvii. 
17. It was often called " a 
land flowing with milk and 
honey." Beside the bees 
raised in yards, multitudes 
were wild, and laid up their 
stores in hollow trees and 
fissures of rocks. Matt. iii. 
4 j Deut. xxxii. 13. Camp- 
bell, in his Travels in Africa, 
says, u The bees have a habit 
of plastering their honey on 
the surface of rocks in cliffs j 
which, for its protection, they 
cover with a layer of dark- 
colored wax, not easily dis- 
tinguished from the rock it- 
self. By making an incision 
in this outer coat, and apply- 
ing his mouth, a person could 
suck out plenty/ 7 This ex- 
plains Deut. xxxii. 13. The 
ancients used honey as we 
do sugar, and prized it high- 
ly 3 hence it is an image of 
pleasure. Ps. cxix. 103 3 Cant. 
iv. 11, &c. 

A sweet sirup, procured 
from ripe dates, seems to have 
borne this name. The word 
rendered " honey/ 7 in 2 Chr. 
xxxi. 5, properly signifies 
dates. Josephus mentions 
palm honey. Bochart, Cel- 
sius, and Geddes, consider 
the honey mentioned Gen. 
xliii. 11, to be of this sort. 

HOPE, a prospect, real or 
imaginary, which we think of 
with pleasure, and are desir- 



ous of obtaining. The emo* 
tion itself is also called hope. 
The Christian's hope of eter« 
nal happiness and glory in 
heaven, is founded on the 
merits, the blood, the grace, 
the promises and spirit of 
Christ, and the unchangeable 
truth and almighty power of 
God. Religious hope is dis- 
tinguished from carnal pre- 
sumption by its inseparable 
effect, a cleansing efficacy by 
the assistance of the Holy 
Spirit. 1 John iii. 3. Jesus 
Christ is styled " the hope of 
Israel/ 7 Acts xxviii. 20, as 
he was promised by God, his 
manner of coming foretold by 
the prophets, and the event 
expected by the people of Is- 
rael. He is called " our 
hope/ 7 1 Tim. i. 1, because 
he is the only foundation on 
which to build our hope of 
any real good here, or of 
heaven hereafter. It is some- 
times taken for that eternal 
salvation, which is the object 
or end of our hope. Tit. ii. 
13. 

HORN, a word used in 
Scripture as the symbol of 
strength, Deut. xxxiii. 17; Jer 
xlviii.25 3 Hab. iii. 4. Hence 
kingdoms are represented as 
horns. The hvo horns of the 
ram in Daniel's vision are the 
kingdoms of Media and Per- 
sia. The one horn of the 
following goat is the king- 
dom of Greece, under Alexan- 
der, which at his death was 
divided,, into four parts, pre- 
dicted Dan. viii. 8. The 



H OR 



115 



HOS 



little horn which grew out of 
one of these, is supposed to be 
the kingdom of Antiochus E- 
piphanes, who overran Judea, 
&c. The ten horns of the great 
dragon, Rev. xii. 3, are the 
kingdoms which compose the 
Roman empire and domin- 
ions of the pope. Various 
authors have named these 
kingdoms, but with little pre- 
cision, because of the con- 
tinual fluctuations of those 
countries. Rev. xiii. 1. 

HORNET, an insect of 
many varieties, greatly dif- 




fering in shape. This cut rep- 
resents the kind mentioned in 
Scripture, and not merely a 
hornet, as has been commonly 
shown. Its two small wings 
move in contact with the larg- 
er. Its sting creates inflam- 
mation, and sometimes dan- 
ger. Vast swarms of them dis- 
tressed the Canaanites, Deut. 
vii. 20, and even drove to oth- 
er countries some of the tribes. 
Josh. xxiv. 12. Bochart 
has traced these colonies into 
Greece, and the Talmudical 



writers say that some passea 
into Africa. 

HORONAIM, a city of 
Moab, perhaps the same as 
Beth-horon. It is thought 
to be the city which is called 
by Ptolemy Avara, and by 
Josephus Orona. 

HORSE, an animal rare 
among the early Jews, but 
common in Egypt, &c. The 
passage in 1 Kings x. 28, in- 
stead of " horses and linen 
yarn," should read, as it is 
literally, horses in strings, 
which was and is now the 
mode of transporting them 
for sale. As Orientals sup- 
posed the sun to drive along 
the sky in a chariot with 
horses, they consecrated to him 
the finest steeds. Israel was 
once infected with this idola- 
try. 2 Kings xxxiii. 11. 

HORSE-LEECH, a black 
worm that lives in water, and 
is now called only leech. It 
occurs only in Prov. xxx. 15. 

HOSANNA, an exclama- 
tion of praise, or invocation 
of blessing. It was a com- 
mon word with the Jews, and 
seems to mean literally, save 
now. The multitude who ut- 
tered this cry before Christ, 
probably indicated by it their 
desire and hope that he would 
now, as their Messiah, raise 
up their nation from its fallen 
state. Matt. xxi. 9 — 15. 

HOSEA, the first of the 
minor prophets, as arranged 
in our Bibles. These twelve 
books are called minor proph- 
ets, not from their inferiority, 



II ou 



116 



HO II 



but from their brevity. He 
lived a long time, and prophe- 
sied under four king's, viz. 
Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and 
Hezekiah. The Book of Ho- 
sea, which seems to be but a 
part of the author's predic- 
tions, is of a sententious and 
sometimes obscure style, but 
alwavs energetic. 

HOSPITALITY, love or 
kindness expressed by enter- 
taining persons kindly. Rom. 
xii. 13 5 1 Tim. iii. 2. The 
first Christians were remark- 
ably hospitable and kind to 
all strangers, but particularly 
to those of the same faith. 
Paul makes use of Abra- 
ham's and Lot's conduct, 
mentioned Gen. xviii. 2, 3 3 
xix. 1, 2, &c. as examples to 
encourage and persuade us 
to the exercise of hospitality. 
Heb. xiii. 2. Hospitality is to 
be u used one to another with- 
out grudging-." 1 Pet. iv. 9. 

HOUGH, to disable an an- 
imal by severing the great 
tendon on the back of the 
hind leg. Josh. xi. 6 — 9. 

HOUR. (1.) The twenty- 
fourth part of a natural day, 
being the common method of 
measuring time. When the 
New Testament was written, 
the Jews divided their day 
into twelve equal parts, after 
the manner of the Greeks and 
Romans, Matt. xx. 3, 5, 63 
John xi. 9, which of course 
varied in length according to 
the different seasons. When 
the sun rose at the time we 
call 6 o'clock, their 3d hour 



agreed with our 9th, their Gth 
with our noon, and their 9th 
with our 3 o'clock. Their 
night was divided in the same 
manner. (2.) Hour signifies 
any fixed season or opportu- 
nity. Hence we read of the 
hour of temptation 3 of judg- 
ment } of Christ's death, or 
second coming j of the pow- 
er of Satan and his agents 
against Christ 3 &c. Rev. iii 
3, 10. Lukexxii. 53. 

HOUSE. (1.) A dwelling 
place. The body is called, 
2 Cor. v. 1, the house of the 
soul. The houses in Canaan 
and other Eastern countries 
are built in the form of a hol- 
low square. The rooms open 
into the court in the centre, 
where some have fountains of 
water playing. The roof is 
flat, and, when the sun is not 
hot, is a place of agreeable 
retirement. Peter had his 
vision here. Acts x. 9. An 
awning is frequently extended 
over the open space in the 
centre, to exclude the sun. 
This was lifted away, and the 
low battlement of tiles " bro- 
ken up," by the friends of 
the man sick of the palsy, 
whom they had brought across 
the roofs of the neighboring 
houses, so that they could 
lower him down before Christ. 
Mk.ii.3 3Luke v. 19. When 
the destruction of Jerusalem 
came, the disciples of Jesus 
were to escape from the roofs, 
if they should be there, with- 
out going down into the house. 
This in our houses would 



" 



HUM 



117 



HYP 



impossible ; but there they 
could come down the stairs, 
and pass liirough the balco- 
nies which led round the in- 
ner corrts. and so out into the 
street, through the covered 
gateway. Mark xiii. 15. (2.) 
The family household, or tribe, 
dwelling together. Children 
do not necessarily form part 
of a household, as many fam- 
ilies are without any. Acts 
xvi. 15. 

HUMILIATION, the act 
of humbling one's self. It 
differs from humility. Hu- 
mility is the habitual state of 
that person's mind who has 
low thoughts of himself, found- 
ed upon the knowledge of his 
own imperfections and un- 
worlhiness, and his depen- 
dence upon God. Humiliation 
is a special act of devotional 
mortification, or self-denial, 
in an individual or a nation, 
shown by fasting, prayer, <Scc. 

The humiliation ascribed to 
('hrist, Acts viii. 33 ; Phil. ii. 
i.j is a proof of his divine 
nature ; for if Christ were a 
mere man, or even the highest 
angel, and was created of 
God to perform the work of 
redemption, he did no more 
than his duty, and would have 
been eternally lost had he 
come short of it. 

HUMILITY, that grace of 
die Spirit, which, from a prop- 
er sense of lowliness and un- 
worthiness, makes us patient 
under trials, and contentedly 
submissive to the will of 
Providence. 



HUSK, the sheath or cover 
of grain, &e. Numb. vi. 4. 
2 Kings iv. 42. Ii is thought 
by Wahl, and others, that the 
husks mentioned in the para- 
ble of the prodigal son, are 
the pods of the carob-tree, or 
cerotonia siliqua of Linnaeus. 
These pods are about a loot 
long, somewhat sickle-shaped, 
and contain a sweet pulp, 
and several brown seeds like 
beans. When in season, swine 
fatten on this food very rapid- 
ly, and it is often eaten by the 
poor people in Syria and Pal 
esline. Luke xv. 16. 

HYMN, a religious ode or 
song. Hilary is said to have 
been the first composer of 
metrical hymns to be sung in 
public worship. The book of 
Psalms contained the " hymns 
and spiritual songs" common- 
ly sung by the Jews and early 
Christians. The Psalms are 
called, in general, hymns, by 
Philo the Jew; and Jose- 
phus calls them " songs and 
hymns." See Singing. 

HYPOCRITE. (1.) One 
who dissembles or feigns to 
be what he is not. Matt, xxiii. 
Such persons may be detect- 
ed by their neglect of the 
duties they enjoin on others ; 
by their zeal for trifles and 
omission of great duties ; by 
their love of titles and pre~ 
cedence 5 and by their severe 
censures of others for sins, 
which they commit them 
selves. (2.) One who is de- 
ceived, and relies on a false 
hope. Job xx. 5, and xxvii. 



H YS 



118 



IDD 



8. Such persons find excuses 
for obvious neglects 5 they 
study an external rather than 
inward purity 5 they pray in 
affliction with great fervor, 
but are apt to neglect that 
duty in prosperity ; and though 
keen and active in business, 
are dull and destitute of zeal 
in spiritual affairs. 

HYSSOP, an herb which, 
in the East, grows not only in 
gardens, but also wild. It 
rises to the height of two feet, 
growing in bunches and put- 
ting out many stalks from a 
single root. On this account 
it is extremely well adapted 
to t>e used as a sprinkler, as it 
commonly was in Jewish pu- 
rifications. It has a pleasant 
smell, but is very bitter and 
pungent. When it is said that 
n Solomon described plants 
from the great cedar to the 
hyssop that springeth out of 
the wall," 1 Kings iv. 33, the 
smallest of plants seems to 
be intended. Hasselquist 
supposes the plant here men- 
tioned to be a species of moss 
which grows on stone walls, 
and is very common on the 
walls of Jerusalem. Sib- 
thorpe thinks it more prob- 
ably a little plant still called 
hysoppo, frequently growing 
on the rocks of Palestine. But 
Isaac Ben Omran, an Ara- 
bian author, says that the hys- 
sop grows in abundance on the 
mountains about Jerusalem. 
The wall therefore may mean 
"liffs f or the passage may be 
rendered, around the walls. 



The soldier who gave our 
Saviour vinegar, or sour wine 
with a sponge, on a reed, 
seems to have added the juice 
of hyssop, John xix. 29 j or 
gall, as it is called, Matt, 
xxvii. 34. 



I. 



ICO NIUM, the chief city 
of the tetrarchy of Lycaonia ', 
said by St r a bo to be well 
built, and situated in the rich- 
est part of the province. The 
visit of Paul to this place, 
which was greatly blessed in 
the conversion of multitudes, 
happened a. d.45 or46. Acts 
xiv. 1 — 3. The church thus 
planted may be traced through 
eight succeeding centuries, 
but is lost sight of during 
the ravages of the Turks 
and Saracens. At present it. 
is a place of some conse- 
quence, and strongly fortified 
by walls four miles in extent. 
The population is estimated 
at 70,000. Though much of 
the town within the walls lies 
waste, no Jew or Christian is 
allowed by the Turks to live 
there ; but such reside in the 
suburbs. Its present name is 
Cogni, or Konee. 

IDDO, a prophet of Ju- 
dah, who seems to have been 
the historian of his day, and 
whose record and genealogies 




IDO 



119 



IDO 



are mentioned in Scripture. 
2 Chron. ix. 29, and xii. 15. 
His writings never made a 
part of tiie canon of the Old 
Testament. Indeed, had ev- 
ery thing- done or said by holy 
men, according to the will of 
God, been inserted in the Bi- 
ble, it would have made the 
book too large to be useful. 
Josophus is of opinion that 
this was the prophet sent to 
Jeroboam at Bethel, and slain 
by a lion on his return. 1 
Kings xiii. Whether he was 
the grandfather of Zechariah, 
is uncertain. Zech.i.l. There 
were several other persons of 
this name. 1 Chr. xxvii. 21 3 
Ezra viii. 17. 

IDOL, a representation or 
image of any sort, created 
either by art or fancy 5 any 
object receiving human wor- 
ship, in contradistinction to 
the true God. 1 Cor. viii. 1. 
1 John v. 21. As it is the 
first principle of true religion, 
tha* there is one only living 
and true God, so Jehovah 
claims divine worship as due 
only to himself j and has pro- 
hibited the worship of idols, 
as a crime of the first magni- 
tude. Ex. xx. 4. The most 
fervent remonstrances against 
paying homage to idols are 
foui.d in the prophets ; and 
some such passages in Isaiah 
are considered to surpass in 
energy, argument, and ele- 
gance, any thing trat has 
been written on the subject. 
Isa. xliv. 12— 20 ; and xlvi. 1, 
2, &c. 



The following idols are 
mentioned in Scripture :— 

Adram-melech, 2 Kings xvii. 31. 
Anamelech,2 Kings xvii. 31 
Ashima, 2 Kings xvii. 30. 
Ashtaroth, Jud. ii. 13. 
Baal, Numb. xxii. 41. (in the plo- 

ral Baalim, 1 Sam. vii. 4.) 
Baal bcrith, Jud. viii. 33. 
Baal-pcor, Numb. xxv. 3 j Deut 

iv. 3. 
Beelzebub, 2 Kings i. 2. 
Bel, Isa. xlvi. 1 ; Jer. 1. 2. 
Castor and Pollux, Acts xxviii. 11 . 
Dagon, Jud. xvi. 23. 
Diana, Acts xix. 24—41. 
Jupiter, Acts xiv. 11, 12. 
Mercury, Acts xiv. 12. 
Moloch, Lev. xviii. 21. (called J\1U- 

com, 1 Kings xi. 5, and JMalcham^ 

Zeph. i. 5.) 
JVebo, Isa. xv. 46. 
Nergal, 2 Kings xvii. 30. 
Nibhaz, 2 Kings xvii. 31. 
Nisroch, 2 Kings xix. 37. 
Remphan, Acts vii. 43. 
Rimvion, 2 Kings v. 18. 
Shcshuch, Jer. Ii. 41. 
Succoth-benoth, 2 Kings xvii. 30. 
Tammvi, Ezek. viii. 14. 
Tartak, 2 Kings xvii. 31. 

Beside which were the Tera- 
phim, and the Golden Calves. 

The Jews seem never to 
have had idols peculiar to 
themselves, but to have often 
adopted those of other na- 
tions. 

IDOLATRY is either in- 
ternal or external. Internal 
is an inordinate love of the 
creatures, riches, honors, and 
the pleasures of this life. Eph. 
v. 5. Col. iii.5. Phil. iu\ 19. 
External is the paying of 
homage to outward objects, 
either natural or artificial 5 
and this is the more common 
sense of the term. 

Soon after the flood, men 



IDO 



120 



IDU 



fell into idolatry. A large 
portion of our race have ever 
since practised this sin — 
dreadfully indicative of the 
corruption and degradation 
of human nature. At first, 
heavenly bodies, and eminent 
benefactors of mankind, were 
worshipped, then animals, 
plants, reptiles, and figures 
made by art. To these were 
paid not only reverence and 
devotion, but the most horrid 
rites. The grossest indecen- 
cies, murder, suicide, torture, 
drunkenness, and every abom- 
ination, have been considered 
proper acts of worship. In 
pagan countries, idolatry still 
retains these shocking char- 
acteristics. 

In Burmah,beside idolatrous 
temples, they have pagodas, 
which are nothing more than 
piles of brick and earth, set up 
in honor of their gods, as we 
erect pillars to commemorate 
events. They are generally 
solid, and cannot be entered. 
Worship and offerings, &c. 
are made before them. 

The veneration which Ro- 
man Catholics pay to the vir- 
gin Mary, angels, and saints, 
crosses, images, relics, and 
the host, (or bread of the 
Lord's supper,) is idolatry. 
This they of course deny, and 
consider the worship paid to 
God as supreme, and that 
which is paid to saints, &c. as 
subordinate. 

When we consider in how 
many ways we may practise 
inward idolatry, Ph7 . iii. 19 5 



Col. iii. 5, we should carefully 
watch and pray against this 
dreadful sin. It is to be fear- 
ed that great multitudes have 
their hearts set on some earth- 
ly object, who little think 
themselves idolaters. 

The idol portrayed on the 
opposite page is Boodh, or, 
as he is more commonly call- 
ed, Gau'dama. He is sit- 
ting in the usual posture, 
(chairs being there unknown,) 
a yellow cloth cast over his 
left shoulder and arm, and his 
right hand resting on his knee. 
The image is generally placed, 
as here shown, on a pedestal, 
in an arch or niche, prepared 
for the purpose, near the cer> 
tre of the temple. 

The next engraving repre- 
sents the car of Juggernaut. 
The horrible scenes of his an- 
nual festival are familiar to 
the readers of missionary in- 
telligence. The figure hold- 
ing the reins, as well as the 
horses, are carved images of 
colossal size. The car is 
drawn by two ropes, to 
which thousands of the in- 
habitants attach themselves. 
See Heather. 

IDUME'A, a district on the 
south margin of Palestine, em- 
bracing a part of Arabia, and 
receiving its name from E- 
dom, (i. e. Esau,) who first set- 
tled it. During the Babylo- 
nish captivity, the Edomites 
seem to have seized on a con- 
siderable portion of Judea. 
Long before the birth of 
Christ, they had been reduced 



121 




THE IDOL BOODH, OR GAUDAMA 
11 




CAR OF JUGGERNAUT, 
Exhibited at the public celebration of his worship. 



IMA 



123 



INC 



to subjection, and multitudes 
of them embraced the He- 
brew faith. The region, how- 
ever, seems to have retained 
their name in the days of 
Chr st, and for some ages af- 
terwards. Mark iii. 18. It was 
the native countrv of Herod. 

ILLYR'ICUM'is about 480 
miles iii length, and 120 in 
breadth. It has Austria and 
part of Hungary on the north, 
Servia on the east, and the 
Adriatic Sea and part of Ma- 
cedonia on the south. Here 
the gospel was preached and 
a Christian church planted by 
Paul, which can be traced 
through eight centuries ; and 
to this day not a few nominal 
Christians resiae here. Rom. 
xv. 19. It is now called Scla- 
vonia, or Albania. 

IMAGE, any similitude, 
likeness, copy or resemblance. 
Jesus Christ is said to be the 
" image of God," Heb. i. 3, 
as he represents God to rs, 
and is u in the form of God," 
essentially and not circum- 
stantially 5 for there can be 
no form, or u express image" 
of God, but what is essential- 
ly divine. The phrase seems 
to imply sameness in nature 
and distinctness in person. 
Man is said to have been 
made in the image of God, 
Gen. i. 26. 27, because he re- 
sembled God in being wise, 
holy and immortal, and in 
possessing dominion over the 
creatures. Tdols, carved into 
shapes supposed to resemble 



various deities, are called 
images. 2 Kings iii. 2. 

IMPUTE, to put any thing 
to a person's account. The 
righteousness of Christ is im- 
puted to those who believe on 
him, and their sins are imput- 
ed to him. Rom. iv. 6 — 8. 
2 Cor. v. 19. 

INCENSE, a fragrant gum, 
brought from Arabia and the 
East Indies. The form of the 
tree is not precisely known. 
The incense used in the Jew- 
ish offerings, at least that 
which was burnt on the altar 
of incense, and before the ark 
was a precious mixture of 
sweet spices, stacte, onycha, 
galbanum, and pure frankin- 
cense, beaten very small. 
Ex. xxx. 7, 34. None but 
priests were to burn it, nor 
was any, under pain of death, 
to make any like to it. This 
incense was burnt twice a day 
on the golden altar. Where 
so many victims were daily 
slaughtered and burnt to ashes, 
some such perfume was 
necessary. It seemed also 
beautifully emblematic of 
prayer. Ps. cxli. 2. Rev 
viii. 3, 4. 

INCHANTERS, persons 
who practise incantations or 
charms, particularly on ser- 
pents. There are still such 
persons in the East, whose per- 
formances are very astonish- 
ing. Sometimes, when a poi- 
sonous snake is known to have 
got into a house or ship, one 
of these men is sent for, who 



INS 



124 



IS II 



induces it to come forth, puts 
it in a bag, and carries it 
away. Compare Ps. lviii. 4, 
5. Hasselquist saw and 
describes these things, as have 
several others. 

INFIRMITY, in Scripture, 
means, (1.) Sickness, Luke 
xiii. 12 ; 1 Tim. v. 23; (2.) 
Afflictions, 2 Cor. xii. 10; (3.) 
Natural appetites, such as 
hunger, thirst, sleep, &c. Matt, 
xxiv. 41 ; (4.) Weakness of 
human nature, Gal. iv. 13 ; 
Rom. viii. 26. Mere infirm- 
ities are not sins, except so 
far as we bring them on our- 
selves. Christians are bound 
to pay a tender regard to the 
infirmities of others. Rom. 
xv. 1. 

INKHORN,a small portable 
case for pens and ink ; which 
is often worn by writers in the 
East, fastened to some con- 
venient part of the dress. 
Ezek. ix. 2, 11. 

INN, in our Bible, means 
generally a caravansera. — 
Some are simply places of rest, 
near a fountain, if possible ; 
others have an attendant, who 
merely waits on travellers ; 
and others have a family, 
which furnishes provisions, 
&c. like our taverns. They 
are found in every part of 
Turkey, and are there called 
khans. 

INSCRIPTION, orSuPER- 
scription, writing on coins, 
pillars, &c. Much of the his- 
tory of nations may be learnt 
from them. Matt. xxii. 20. 



The history of Greece, foi 
1318 years, is inscribed on 
the Arundel marbles. Parts 
of the law of Moses were in~ 
scribed on the altar at Ebal. 
Deut. xxvii. 8. 

INTERCESSION, the act 
of coming in between two 
parties, in order to plead in 
behalf of the one that has of- 
fended. Christ intercedes 
for his church, by appear- 
ing for it before the Father, 
by presenting the merits of 
his sacrifice once offered, and 
obtaining answers to petitions 
or prayers made in his name. 

IRON was known very an- 
ciently. Gen. iv. 22. Moses 
speaks of its hardness, Lev. 
xxvi. 19 ; of the iron mines, 
Deut. viii. 9 ; of the furnace 
in which it was made, Deut. 
iv. 20 ; and that the bedstead 
of Og, king of Bash an, was of 
this metal, Deut. iii. 11. 

ISAIAH, a prophet of Is- 
rael, who wrote the inspired 
book of that name. His lan- 
guage is remarkable for ele 
gance and sublimity ; and his 
wondrous prophecies are yet 
being expounded by events. 
He seems to have been favor- 
ed with an entire view of the 
gospel dispensation from the 
birth and sufferings of Christ 
to the day when all shall know 
God. He is thought to have 
died about 70 years before 
Jeremiah prophesied. 

IS HI, a husband. It is 
said, Hos. ii. 16, that IsraeJ 
should no more call God 



ISS 



125 



I vo 



* Baali," Lord, or rigid Mas- I 
ter, bat " Ishi," husband, a 
kind and gentle ruler. 

ISRAEL, the common name 
of the Hebrew people and 
country. The name means 
" Prince with God/' and was 
given to Jacob after his prev- 
alent prayer at Peniel. 

Under Rehoboam, succes- 
sor to Solomon, a fatal schism 
took place between the tribes 
of Judah and Benjamin, and 
the rest of the nation. 1 Kings 
xii. The land was then di- 
vided into Judah, of which 
Jerusalem continued the me- 
tropolis j and Israel, of which 
Samaria was the royal resi- 
dence. This division occa- 
sioned many dreadful civil 
wars, and wholly separated 
the ten tribes from the true 
religion. At length, after hav- 
ing existed about 250 }-ears, 
Israel was entirely destroyed, 
1 Kings xvii. 6, &c. 5 and the 
whole country was then call- 
ed Judah, or Judaea. About 
130 years after the overthrow 
of the ten tribes, Judah was 
laid waste by Nebuchadnez- 
zar, and the people carried 
captive to Babylon, where 
they continued 70 years. 2 
Kings xxv. 9. Jer. xxxix. 2, 
and xxiv. 11, 12. Under Darius 
and Cyrus many of the Jews 
returned, and the temple was 
rebuilt a little more than 500 
years b. c. See Canaan, 
and Hebrews. 

ISSUE, an effect or result 
arising from some cause. It 
11* 



is applied to children, who, 
from the relation which they 
bear to their parents, are 
called issue or offspring; and 
to a running sore in the flesh, 
sometimes arising from a 
small artificial incision. 

ITURE'A, a region in the 
north-east part of Palestine, 
thought to have derived its 
name from Jetur, a son of 
Ishmael. Hauren was one of 
its cities, whence the province 
was called Hauranitis by the 
ancients. Philip was its te- 
trarch in the days of Christ. 
Luke iii. 1. The modern 
name is Houran. 

IVORY is the tusks of 
elephants, resembling horns. 
Ezek. xxvii. 15. Some tusks 
are from 90 to 125 pounds 
weight 5 and one found in the 
isle of Sumatra, in the East 
Indies, is said to have weighed 
330 pounds. The ivory of 
Ceylon is best, and does not 
become yellow by age. In 
Russia, and other places of 
Europe, a kind of ivory is 
found buried in the ground ; 
and at Petersburgh is a tusk 
of 180 pounds weight. But 
whether these be real teeth of 
elephants, dropped there long 
ago j or horns of fishes, brought 
thither at the flood j or the re- 
mains of some huge animal, 
whose race is now extinct 5 or 
a kind of substance formed in 
the earth, — we cannot deter- 
mine. Ivory was anciently 
very plentiful in Canaan 
wardrobes were cased with it 



JAM 



126 



JAP 



to prevent the damage of 
moths. Ps. xlv. 8. Solomon 
had a throne of it. 1 King's 
x. 18, 22. 



J. 

JAB'BOK, a brook rising 
1n the mountains of Gilead, 
and entering- the Jordan just 
after it leaves Lake Gennesa- 
reth. Deut. ii. 37. 

JACINTH, the same as 
hyacinth ; a precious stone of 
a yellowish color, brought 
generally from Ceylon. 

JA'COB, the second son of 
Isaac, and founder of the Jew- 
ish nation, was born a. m. 
2167. He removed to Egypt 
with his family at the request 
of Joseph, and died after hav- 
ing dwelt in Goshen 17 years. 

JAH, a Hebrew contrac- 
tion for Jehovah. Ps. Ixviii. 4. 

JAHAZ, a city of Moab, 
called also Jahazah. Josh. 
xiii. 18. It is called by Ptole- 
my Ziza. 

JAMES the Great, or El- 
der, and John the evangelist, 
sons of Zebedee and Salome, 
were originally fishers of 
Bethsaida in Galilee. Matt. 
\v. 21, They were called 
Boanerges, or u the sons of 
thunder.' 7 Mark iii. 17 j Luke 
x. 54. After our Saviour's 
•esurrection, it seems they for 
a while returned to their busi- 



ness of fishing. John xxi. 2, 
3. About a. d. 44, Jo.at.js was 

murdered by Herod. Acts 
xii. 2. He is now the pre- 
tended patron saint of Spain. 

2. James the Less, ca n ed 
the brother of our Lord, was 
the son of Cleophas, by Mary, 
the sister of the blessed Vir- 
gin. He was called the less, 
probably, because smaller or 
younger than the former. For 
the admirable holiness of his 
life, he was surnamed the 
Just. Our Saviour appeared 
to him by himself, after his 
resurrection. 1 Cor. xv. 7. 
About three years after Paul's 
conversion, he was at Jeru- 
salem, and was considered as 
a pillar or main prop of the 
church there. Gal. i. 19. He 
was put to death by order of 
Annas, the high priest. 

The General Epistle of 
James was written by this 
apostle. It is called general, 
because not addressed to any 
particular church. It is one 
of the most pathetic and in- 
structive in the New Testa- 
ment ; and contains an ad- 
mirable summary of those 
practical duties which are in- 
cumbent on all believers. 

JANNES and JAMBRES, 
the leading magicians of the 
company who counterfeited 
the miracles of Moses before 
Pharaoh. 2 Tim. iii. 8. 

JA'PHETH, Noah's eldest 
son, born a. m. 1556. He 
was prophetically blessed by 
his dying father. His pos- 



JEH 



127 



JER 



ferity settled all Europe, the 
north of Asia, and probably 
America. The latter conti- 
nent is now, at least, inhab- 
ited by his descendants. 
They have also, by conquest 
and otherwise, become pos- 
sessed of Southern Asia, Sy- 
ria, Palestine, &c. according 
to the prediction of Noah ; 
Gen. ix. 27 

JASH'ER. The book of 
Jasher was probably a public 
register in which memorable 
events were written by ascribe 
of this name. Josh.x. 13. That 
it was the practice of the Jews 
to keep such a register, ap- 
pears from various passages. 
1 Kings xi. 41 j 2 Chron. xii. 
15, and xx. 34, &c. These 
archives were laid up in the 
temple, and Josephus some- 
times refers to them for the 
truth of his narrative. 

JASPER, a precious stone 
of various colors, white, red, 
brown and bluish green. It 
is somewhat like the finer 
marble, or the half transparent 
gems. It strikes fire with 
steel j but makes no efferves- 
cence in aquafortis. It is 
found in the Indies, in Per- 
sia, Syria, Armenia, Bohe- 
mia, &c. 

JEHOSH'APHAT, one of 
the best of the kings of Judah, 
ascended the throne a. m. 
3090, and reigned 25 years. 
His regard for the spiritual 
interests of his people was 
shown in his sending mission- 
aries into all parts of his king- 
dom. 2 Chron. xvii. 9. 



The valley of Jehoshaphat 
lay between Jerusalem and 
the Mount of Olives. Joe) 
iii. 2,12. 

JEHO'VAH, the name of 
God, often rendered Lord in 
our Bibles, and printed in 
capitals to distinguish it from 
Lord, signifying a governor. 
The pagan name Jove and 
the name Jevo of the Moors 
seem derived from the true 
name of God. 

JEPHTHAH, the tenth 
judge of Israel, who, in con- 
sequence of an extraordinary 
vow, sacrificed his daughter. 
Jud. xi. Some learned men. 
by altering one of the origi- 
nal words a little, and some 
considerations connected with 
the narrative, infer that he 
only consigned her to celibacy. 
In his day Troy was burnt by 
the Greeks, about a. m. 2800. 

JEREMIAH, a prophet 
who wrote the book which 
bears his name, and also the 
Book of Lamentations, 
which is, in the original, a sub- 
lime specimen of pathetic 
poetry. He prophesied 70 
years after Isaiah, and during 
part of the reign of Josiah. 
The last chapter seems to 
have been added by Ezra. 
He is called Jeremy, in the. 
New Testament. 

JERICHO, a city of the 
Benjamites, 19 miles east from 
Jerusalem. Josh. xvi. 1, 7. 
The curse pronounced (Josh 
vi. 26.) upon the man who 
should rebuild this city, after 
its destruction by Joshua, wai 



JER 



128 



JE R 






literally fulfilled in the days 
of Ahab, 537 years after this, 
upon Hiel. 1 Kings xvi. 34. 
After its restoration it flourish- 
ed, and became in importance 
second only to Jerusalem. 
There seems to have been, 
however, during - this interval, 
another Jericho, where Da- 
vid's insulted ambassadors 
remained till their beards 
were grown. The road to 
Jericho was through a rocky 
desert, infested with robbers. 
Luke x. 30. It is to this day 
the most dangerous road in 
Palestine. Sir F. Henniker, 
an English traveller, was in 
this very place robbed and 
wounded by a party of Arabs, 
in 1820. The plain on which 
it stood was extremely fertile, 
noted for palm-trees, and for 
the best of balm. The gene- 
ral depression of the country 
has sunk noble Jericho into 
a mere mud-built village. Its 
present name is Erika, or 
Rika . 

JEROBO'AM. The first 
king of Israel, one of the 
most wicked rulers that ever 
lived. He was a distinguish- 
ed man under Solomon, and 
was chosen head of the ten 
tribes which revolted after 
Solomon's death, a. m. 3029. 
lie reigned in horrible wick- 
edness 22 years. 1 Kings xi. 
xii. xv. 

Jeroboam II. the 13th 
king of Israel, succeeded his 
father, Joash, a. m. 3179, and 
reigned over Israel 41 years. 
He was a very wicked prince, 



but raised his kingdom to 
great outward prosperity. 2 
Kings xiv. xv. 

JERUB'BAAL, the same 
as Gideon. 

JERUSALEM, the capital 
of Judea, first called Salem, 
where Melchisedek was king, 
Gen. xiv. 18, who, as some 
suppose, built it. It stands 
42 miles east of the Mediter- 
ranean. The name signifies 
the Vision of Peace. It was 
called Jebus by the Jebusitcs, 
who possessed it, and held 
the castle of Sion, till David 
dislodged them, and took the 
place. 1 Chr. xi. 4, 5, 7. It 
is surrounded with a strong 
wall 40 or 50 feet high. Its 
general form is nearly a hep- 
tagon, or figure with seven 
sides. The circumference is 
nearly three miles. 

Every male Jew was com- 
manded to go to Jerusalem 
thrice a year to worship. It 
was a city often plundered by 
armies, and several times 
burnt. 1 Kings xiv. 16. After 
Nebuchadnezzar destroyed it, 
(2 Chr. xxxvi.) it lay in ruins 
130 years, when it was rebuilt 
by Nehemiah. Many years 
afterward it was again de- 
stroyed by Ptolemy. After- 
ward it suffered a similar fate 
from Antiochus Epiphanes, 
who killed 40,000 of the in- 
habitants, and sold for slaves 
as many more. It was re- 
built by Judas Maccabeus, 
and was somewhat flourish 
ing in the time of our Saviour 
About a. d. 70, after a dreadful 



JER 



129 



JES 



siege of two years, during" 
which the inhabitants suffered 
bo much from famine as to 
eat ; in some instances, the 
dead bodies of their friends, 
it was taken by Titus Vespa- 
sian ; and our Saviour's pre- 
diction that it should become 
a heap of ruins, was fully veri- 
fied. It gradually became 
settled again, but in a. d. 134, 
the emperor Adrian banished 
all the Jews, prohibiting their 
return on pain of death. The 
temple was demolished and 
the site ploughed up. Chris- 
tians were not embraced in 
this edict, and remained in 
great numbers. He also 
changed the name of the cita- 
to ^E/ia, which it retained, al- 
most exclusively, till the time 
of Constantine, when its origi- 
nal name was restored. In 
a.d. C14, the Persians cap- 
tured it, and 90,000 Chris- 
tians were slain. In 637, the 
Saracens seized it, and kept 
it till 1079, when theSeljukian 
Turks became its masters. 
Soon afterwards the Ci-usades 
were begun, and continued, 
from time to time, for a cen- 
tury, when the Ottoman Turks 
became its possessors ; and 
they remain so to this day, op- 
pressing the Jews and Chris- 
tians with great cruelty. 

On the site of the temple is 
a magnificent mosque. Its 
present population is by some 
computed at 20,000, but by Mr. 
Jowett at about 12.000 ; one 
fourth of which are Jews ; but 
there has been no regular cen- 



sus for many ages. The Greek 
Christians are estimated at 
2000, and the Roman Catho- 
lics at 1500. There are also 
Armenian, Coptic, Syrian and 
Abyssinian Christians resid- 
ing here. The city is without 
trade, and consequently ex- 
ceedingly poor. The Latins 
subsist chiefly on remittances 
from Catholic countries ; the 
Greeks and Armenians by the 
contributions of the pilgrims, 
and the Jews on collections 
made all over Europe, and 
brought by pilgrims. A late 
writer,speaking of their wretch- 
ed poverty, says " their houses 
are as dunghills." The Turk 
exacts money from them all, 
without mercy orjusticc. 

The Christian and Jewish 
pilgrims which annually resort 
here, amount to several thou- 
sands. To these the places 
where the events of our Sa- 
viour's life and death occurred, 
are shewn with ridiculous mi 
nuteness : in many cases, they 
are unworthy of confidence. 
Protestant missionaries have 
of late years made known on 
this sacred spot the glorious 
grace of our Lord Jesus 
Christ. No less than eight of 
these labored there in one year 
during Mr. Jowett's visit. The 
obstacles to success, however, 
are peculiarly great. 

JESUS, the name given to 
Messiah, by his parents, at the 
command of the angel, Matt, 
i. 21 ; the word means Sa- 
viour. His divinity appears 
from the titles of Deity being 



JOB 



130 



JOH 



applied to him, Rom. ix. 5 ; 
Rev. i. 1 1 5 from the unqualified 
ascription to him of the attri- 
butes of Deity, as eternity, 
Rev. xxii. 13 ; omniscience, 
Rev. ii. 23 \ omnipotence, Phil, 
iii. 21 j omnipresence, Matt. 
X viii. 20. He is declared to be 
the Creator, John i. 12 ; the 
Preserver, Col. i. lu, 17 ; the 
true God, 1 John v. 20, 21 ; 
to have the power of forgiving" 
sins, Matt. ix. 2—6 j Col. iii. 13 ; 
&c. ; to have power to raise 
the dead, John v. 21, 25 ; to 
be the Judge of quick and dead, 
2 Cor. v. 10 5 Rom. xiv. 10. 
He was often worshipped, and 
did not forbid it ; and such 
worship is declared proper, 
Phil. ii. 10, 11 5 Heb.i. 6. See 
also Numb. xxi. 5, 6 j Ps. 
lxxviii. 56 ; John xx. 28 ; Luke 
xxiv. 51 ; Mark iv. 39 j Col. 
ii. 10, &c. 

JEWS. See Hebrews. 

JOASH, king of Judah, 
began to reign about b. c. 
874, and reigned 40 years. In 
his days Lycurg us flourished. 

JOASH, king of Israel, 
ascended the throne about 
B. c. 835, and reigned 16 years. 

JOB lived about 1500 years 
B.C. and his trial seems to have 
occurred about 29 years before 
the Israelites came up out of 
Egypt. Calmet and others 
make Uz, his country, to have 
been Arabia Deserta ; but 
Lowth, Magee, Home, &c. 
prove it to have been Idumea. 

The Book of Job is agreed 
to be the most ancient now in 
existence. It is a historical 



poem, lofty ,magnificent,di ver 
sified and touching. Though 
Job is here proved to have 
been a pattern of patience, 
probity and devotion, yet all 
his expressions cannot be jus- 
tified. His friends cherished 
unfounded suspicions of his 
guilt, but their speeches are 
weighty and pious. It was 
probably written by Job him- 
self, copied, improved and 
circulated by Moses. 

JOEL, a Hebrew prophet, 
of whose history nothing is 
now certainly known. Most 
modern commentators believe 
him to have been cotemporary 
with Amos and Hosea. The 
book is of a highly poetical 
style, and is greatly admired 
by critics for its elegance and 
sublimity. 

JOHN THE baptist, the 
harbinger of Christ. He re- 
mained obscure till the age of 
30, when he began to preach, 
and baptized thousands who 
confessed their sins. He was 
put to death by Herod Antipas. 

JOHN, brother of James, 
was of a very mild and af- 
fectionate disposition, but bold 
in preaching. See James. 
John was the Saviour's be- 
loved disciple, and younger 
than the rest. After suffering 
much for his religion, under 
the emperor Domitian, he 
was banished, a. d. 95, to 
Patmos, where he wrote the 
Revelation. When Nerva be- 
came emperor, he was re- 
called, and lived to write his 
, Gospel and three Epistles. 



JOR 



131 



JOR 



He died at Ephesus, at about 
the aire of 100 years. Before 
his death, the various heresies 
of the Ebionites, Cerintl.'ans, 
Docctae, Gnostics, Nicolai- 
tans, &c. had been broached. 
These, and other errors, are 
fully exposed in his Gospel 
and Epistles, though they are 
not all mentioned by name. 

JOHN, surnamed Mark, 
the companion of Paul and 
Barnabas. Acts xii. 12. Some 
suppose this to be the Mark 
who wrote the second Gospel. 
JOHN, a member of the 
Sanhedrim, and relation of the 
high priest. Acts iv. 6. 

JONAH lived earlier than 
any of the minor prophets, 
probably in the reign of Jehu. 
From his history the Greeks 
seem to have derived their 

, storj* of Hercules having been 
three days without injury in 
the belly of a dog, sent against 

, him by Neptune. The fable 
ofArionand the dolphin has 

i probably the same Origin. 
JOPPA, a seaport of Pal- 
estine, of very ancient date, 
though possessing an inferior 
harbor. Its name is thought 
to have been derived from 
Japhet, son of Noah, who 
founded it. It is now nothing 
more than a ruinous village of 
fishermen, called by the na- 
tives Jaffa. 

JORDAN, a river which 
rises in Mount Lebanon, about 
12 miles north ofCaesarea- 

\ Philippi. About 12 miles more 

i to the south, it receives a con- 
siderable branch ; which, under 



ground, proceeds from the 
Lake Phiala. About 15 miles 
further south, it forms the wa- 
ters of Merom, or lake of 
Samechon, (both names sig- 
nifying the higher lake,) which 
is nearly 4 miles broad, and 
7£ long. Twenty-eight miles 
farther south, it forms the Lake 
of Gennesareth, which is 16 
miles in length, and five in 
breadth. Thence it runs 
southward through a long 
desert valley, whose air is 
unwholesome, till it loses it 
self in the Dead Sea. Its 
whole course is about 160 
miles. It overflows its banks 
in March or April, by the melt- 
ing of the snow on Lebanon 
and Hermon. Before it en- 
ters the Dead Sea, its ordi- 
nary breadth, according to 
Shaw, is 30 yards, and 25, 
according to Thomson. The 
ordinary depth is about 12 
feet j but this was greatly in- 
creased at certain seasons. 
The current is very rapid. It 
has an outer bank, about a 
furlong distant from the other ; 
such, it seems, was its width 
When it was swelled. The 
banks of a great part of it are 
covered with thickets, in which 
lions were wont to lodge. 
When driven thence by the 
overflowing of the river, they 
wandered about, and were 
dangerous to such as dwelt 
near. Jer. xlix. 19. Almost 
all. the streams in Palestine 
but this become dry in the 
midst of summer. Its waters 
are remarked for being pecu- 



JOS 



132 



JUB 



Aarly sweet and wholesome. 
There were fordable places 
during- the dry season, Judges 
lii. 28 3 and several ferries ; 
2 Sam. xix. 18. The deep 
stream of Jordan was divided 
under Joshua, and by Elijah 
and Elisha. In it John bap- 
tized multitudes, and among 
them our Saviour. Josh. iii. 
2 Kings ii. Matt. iii. Mark i. 
JOSHUA, the successor to 
Moses, as leader of Israel. 
He was born a. m. 24 GO, and 
died about 17 years after 
Moses. Seven years of his 
government he was engaged 
in the conquest of Canaan, 
and during the remainder, he 
enjoyed it in peaceful posses- 
sion. He was the writer of 
the first of the historical books 
of the Old Testament, as tljey 
are called, which include all the 
succeeding books as far as 
Esther. Though the writings 
of Moses (called the Penta- 
teuch, because in five books) 
are in a large degree histor- 
ical, yet because they contain 
the law which God gave on 
Sinai, they are together called 
The law. John i. 17. His ex- 
pulsion of the Canaanites is 
abundantly corroborated by 
profane history. Among the 
many evidences from hence, 
we may mention the pillar 
which Procopius saw in the 
time of Justinian, near to 
where Tangier, in Africa, now 
stands, on winch were inscrip- 
tions to this effect — " We are 
fugitives from the face 
of Joshua, the robber, 



THE SON OF Nl'N.'' The 
pagan fable of Phaeton driv- 
ing the chariot of the sun for 
one day, is thought to have 
arisen from its standing still, 
at the word of Joshua. 

The Book of Joshua com- 
prises the history of about 
twenty years, and forms a con- 
tinuation and completion to 
the Pentateuch. It describes 
the conquest of Canaan ; its 
partition among the tribes j 
and the death and burial of 
Joshua. The latter passages 
were written by Phinehas, 
or some subsequent prophet. 
Josh. xxiv. 29—33. 

JOT, a point j the least as- 
signable quantity. The allu- 
sion is to the Hebrew letter 
Jod, which is scarcely more 
than a point. Matt. v. 18. 

JOTHAM, a king of Judah, 
successor to Uzziah. He reign- 
ed 16 years, during the latter 
part of which Rome was 
founded. 

JOURNEY, a passage from 
place to place. A " sabbath 
day's journey" was about a 
mile j a common day's jour- 
ney was about twer.'.y miles. 

JOY, an agreeable affec- 
tion of the soul, arising from 
the hope or possession of some 
benefit. Religious joy is the 
delight and satisfaction of the 
soul in its union with God 
in Christ, as the greatest and 
highest good. 

JUBILEE. An extraor- 
dinary festival held every sev 
enth sabbatical year. It com 
menced on the day of atone* 






J UD 



133 



J UD 



sient, and was like the sab- 
batical year, but more im- 
portant. All debts were can- 
celled, and even those slaves 
who had voluntarily relin- 
quished their freedom at the 
end of six years' service were 
liberated. The whole state of 
society was now in some de- 
gree reorganized, by universal 
restitution ; no family could, 
therefore, be doomed to per- 
petual poverty. The value 
of estates, o r course, diminish- 
ed in proportion to the near- 
ness of the jubilee. Houses 
in walled towns, except those 
which belonged to the Levites, 
did not revert to their origi- 
nal owners in the jubilee. 
Lev. xxv. 29,30. 

The laws concerning the 
sabbatical year and the ju- 
bilee afford a decisive proof 
of the divine mission of Moses j 
for what lawgiver in his senses 
would have enacted a statute 
which required a special inter- 
position of Heaven to facilitate 
its execution ? The jubilee 
tended to preserve the dis- 
tinction of tribes, by rendering 
it necessary for families to 
preserve their genealogies. 
Thus was the family of the 
Messiah certainly known. Dr. 
Hales, the chronologist, makes 
one of the years of our Sa- 
viour's ministry to have been 
the jubilee, which gave the 
people great opportunity for 
attending to his instructions. 
Luke iv. 13, 19. 

JUDAS, called Iscariot, 
probably from Ish-cariotta 7 
12 



u the man who has the bag." 
There is no reason to suppose 
his appearance of piety was 
ever, to human eve, less than 
that of the other disciples. 
After his dreadful apostasy, 
he hung himself in despair j 
but the cord or the limb of 
the tree breaking, he fell, burst 
open, and died miserably. 

JUDAS or JUDE, the same 
as Thaddeus Lebbeus, 
brother of James the Less 
Matt. x. 3. He was one of 
the twelve apostles. He 
wrote an Epistle, which bears 
his name, and is intended 
chiefly to guard believers a- 
gainst false teachers. 

JUDEA, or Jewry, aname 
now applied to the whole of 
Canaan, which was never so 
called till after the captivity. 
Sometimes the whole land of 
Canaan seems in the 
Testament to have been called 
Judea, Gal. i. 22 ; but more 
properly it was divided into 
Galilee, Samaria and Judea. 
Judea, thus taken, contained 
the original portions of the 
tribes of Judah, Benjamin, 
Dan, and Simeon. It con- 
sisted of three parts : the plain 
country on the west ; the hill 
country southward of Jerusa 
lem ; and the south, toward 
the borders of the land of E- 
dom. Matt. iii. 1. Acts ii. 9. 
See Canaan. 

JUDGES. 1. Officers of 
law and justice. The Jews 
had three courts. (1.) A court 
of three or seven petty judges, 
who decided small cases. (2.) 



JUD 



134 



JUD 



A court of 23, whose power 
in some cases extended to life 
and death. (3.) The great 
Sanhedrim, which determined 
the highest cases, and was 
the last appeal. It consisted 
of 70 judges, of which the 
high priest was president. 
Each court had cognizance of 
both civil and ecclesiastical 
cases. 

2. Extraordinary men, rais- 
ed up b}' Jehovah, to deliver 
Israel from oppression, be- 
fore they had a king. When 
the nation sinned, it was pun- 
ished by anarchy, invasion, 
or conquest j but when it had 
been duly humbled, a deliverer 
was found. 

The following is a list of 
the judges in their order, with 
the length of their administra- 
tion, and the times of the in- 
tervening oppressions. 

Years. 
Othniel judged Israel,.. . i 40 
Oppression ofMoab,... 18 

Ehud, 80 

Oppression of Philistia,. 1 
Shamgar,.-. i. .;.;.. ..... 1 

Oppression of Canaan,.. 20 
Deborah and Barak...... 40 

Oppression of Midian, . . 7 

Gideon, *..../... 40 

Abimelech,.. 3 

Tola, 23 

Jair, 22 

Oppression of Ammon,. . 18 

Jephthah, *.*...»» 6 

Ibzan, 7 

Elon, 10 

Abdon, .*•.*••• 8 

Oppression of Philistia, ) *q 

Samson last 10, ) 

£ii, 40 

Oppression of Philistia,. 20 
Samuel,.. »v» 12 

456 



The apostle Paul says, 
that the period during which 
Israel was governed by judges 
was " about 450 years." Acts 
xiii. 20. 

The Book of Judges forms 
an important part in the his- 
tory of Israel ; and indepen- 
dently of the ample proofs of 
its authenticity found in its 
style, and in its being quoted 
by both Old and New Testa- 
ment writers, the transactions 
it records are confirmed by 
traditions current among the 
heathen. Thus we find the 
memorial of Gideon's transac- 
tions preserved by Sancho- 
niatho. The Vulpinaria, or 
feast of the foxes, celebrated 
by the Romans in the month 
of April, (the time of the Jew- 
ish harvest,) in which they let 
loose foxes, to whose tails 
were fastened burning torches, 
was derived from the story of 
Samson. In the history of 
Samson and Delilah, we find 
the original of Nisus and his 
daughters, who cut off those 
fatal hairs upon which victory 
depended. Dr. A* Clarke has 
fully shown that Samson is 
the original and essential Her* 
cules of pagan mythology. 

JUDGMENT, that faculty 
of the soul, by which it per- 
ceives the relation between 
two or more ideas, and dis- 
cerns right from wrong; the 
solemn action and trial at the 
great and last day, Eccl. xii. 
14 ; Jud. 6 ; the sentence or de- 
cision of a judge, 1 Kings iii. 
28 j the remarkable punish 



JUP 



135 



K AD 



merits of God, Prov. xix. 29 ; 
afflictions and chastisements 
for trial and profitable instruc- 
tions, 1 Pet. iv. 17 5 sentiment 
or opinion, 1 Cor. i. 10; ad- 
vice, 1 Cor. vii. 25 ; the gos- 
pel or kingdom of grace. IVIatt. 
xii. 20 ; the skill, knowledge 
or understanding which a per- 
son has attained in any art, 
science or business ; a court 
of justice existing among the 
Jews in the time of our Sa- 
viour, which had cognizance 
of petty causes only, and to 
which there is an allusion 
Matt. v. 22. 

JUNIPER, an evergreen, 
not unlike the cedar, and some- 
times called by that name. 
Whether this was the exact 
tree meant by the Hebrew 
word Rot hem, is very un- 
certain. It occurs only 1 
Kings xix. 4, 5 ; Job xxx. 4, 
and Ps. cxx. 4. 

JUPITER, the principal 
deity of the ancient heathens. 
Perhaps the name is derived 
from Ja, or Jehovah, and pater, 
father. There were many Ju- 
piters. Three were princi- 
pally famous — the son of 
iEther, the son of Ccelus, and 
chiefly, the son of Saturn. 
Historians discover that he 
was son to a king of Crete, 
who lived about the time of 
Moses, and was one of the 
most wicked wretches that 
ever breathed, though his port 
and bearing is always describ- 
ed as dignified and command- 
ing. The heathens, however, 
whose theology was chiefly 



derived from the fictions of 
their poets, believed that he 
had the government of heaven 
and earth ; and that under him 
Neptune ruled the sea, and 
Pluto was king of hell. The 
noble demeanor of Barnabas, 
and his miracles, made the 
citizens of Lystra imagine that 
Jupiter had visited them. Acts 
xiv. 11. 

JUSTIFY, to clear a per- 
son from the charge of guilt 3 
to make his innocence appear ; 
to acquit a sinner from the 
guilt or punishment of sin, by 
pardon, through the imputa- 
tion of Christ's righteousness. 
Rom. iii. 28, and v. 9. The 
word never signifies to render 
holy. This is done by sanctifi- 
cation, which is righteousness 
imparted by the Holy Ghost, 
and acquired by the believer. 
Justification is by righteous- 
ness imputed. Man cannot be 
justified legally, Rom. iii. 20; 
Gal. ii. 16 ; but evangelically, 
Rom. v. 1 ; and this is said to 
be by grace freely, Rom. iii. 
24; Tit. iii. 7; by faith, Gal. 
iii. 8 ; by Christ, ii. 16 ; by his 
blood, Rom. v. 9. 



K. 

KAB. See Cab 

KA'DESH, Kedesh, or 
Ka'desh-bar'nea, a place 
on the south of Canaan, about 
24 miles south from Hebron, 
and on the e^gc of the wilder 



KIN 



136 



KIN 



ness of Paran. Numb. vii. 16. 
It was anciently called En- 
michpat, or Well of Judg- 
ment, because there the Ca- 
uaanites had judged their peo- 
ple near to a well. Gen. xiv. 
7. Some authors suppose it 
was the same as Rithmah. 
Numb, xxxiii. 18. 

KAD'MONITES, a tribe 
of Canaanites, east of Jordan 
near Mount Hermon. Gen 
xv. 19. Cadmus, the famous 
inventor of the Greek alpha 
bct 7 is thought to have emi- 
grated from this country. 

KEDAR, a son of Ishmael 
and father of the Kedarenes 
who resided about the south 
parts of Arabia the Desert 
ordinarily in tents, but some- 
times in villages, and whose 
glory and wealth chiefly con 
sisted in their flocks and herds 
Song i. 5. Isa. xlii. 11 j and 
xxi. 16, 17. 

KEDRON. See Cedron. 

KEN'ITES, a tribe of Ara- 
bians, whose border extended 
west of the Dead Sea. 1 Sam. 
xv. 6. 

KING, the sovereign of a 
nation. His power, in some 
countries, is limited by law, 
and a senate or parliament. In 
others it is absolute. The kings 
mentioned in early Scripture 
were very petty princes, whose 
power often extended no fur- 
ther than a single city. The 
Lord himself was Israel's 
king, until they became dis- 
contented, and Saul was 
pi ven to be their ruler. 

The following is a table of 



the kings of the Hebrews, both 
before and after their division 
into the governments of Judah 
and Israel : — 

Saul reigned 40 years. 
David " 40 " 

Solomon v " 40 " 
Rehoboam " 1 " 

Kings of Judah. 
Rehoboam reigned 17 years. 



Abijam 


u 


3 " 


Asa 


(( 


41 « 


Jehoshaphat 


u 


27 « 


Jehoram 


cc 


8 " 


Ahaziah 


cc 


1 " 


Athaliah 


M 


6 " 


Jehoash 


II 


40 « 


Amaziah 


<c 


29 " 


Uzziah 


cc 


52 " 


Jothain 


cc 


J6 " 


Ahaz 


cc 


16 " 


Hezekiah 


cc 


29 " 


Manasseh 


iC 


55 " 


Amnion 


cc 


2 " 


Josiah 


cc 


31 " 


Jehoiakim 


cc 


11 " 


Jehoiakin 


cc 


3 months 


Zedekiah 


cc 


11 years 


Kings 


of Israel. 


Jeroboam reigned 


22 years. 


Nadab 


cc 


2 " 


Baasha 


cc 


24 " 


Elan 


cc 


2 " 


Zimri 


CC 


7 days. 


Oinri 


CC 


6 vears. 


Ahab 


cc 


22* " 


Ahaziah 


cc 


1 " 


Joram 


cc 


12 « 


Jehu 


(( 


28 " 


Jehoahaz 


u 


17 « 


Jehoash 


cc 


41 " 


Jeroboam II. 


CC 


41 « 


Zechariah 


(C 


6 months 


Shall urn 


cc 


1 " 


Menahim 


cc 


10 years. 


Pekaiah 


cc 


2 " 


Tekah 


(C 


20 « 



Ilosea carried captive. 

KINGDOM, (1.) The ter- 
ritories of a king; (2.) Royal 
power and dominion. Where 



KIR 



137 



KNE 



(he word occurs in the New 
Testament, it is generally sy- 
nonymous with j-eign. Matt. 
iii. 2,5, 19,20; xiii. 47, fee. 

The two Books of Kings 
are thought to have been di- 
gested into their present form 
by Ezra, from records and 
writings by the various kings, 
scribes, and prophets, men- 
tioned in them. 

KIR, (1.) AcityofMoab, 
Isa. xv. 1, called also Kir- 

HARESETH, and KlR-HA- 

reth, Isa. xvi. 7, 11, and 
Kir-heres, Jer. xlviii. 31. 
(2.) A city of Assyria. Amos 
i. 5. 2 Kings xvi. 9. (3.) A 
city of Media. Isa. xxii. 6. 

KIR'JATH-JE'ARIM, or 
KiRJATH-BAAL ; was acityof 



the Gibeonites, 10 miles north- 
west of Jerusalem. Here the 
ark of God abode 80 years 
after it had been restored by 
the Philistines. 

KISHON, a river rising at 
the foot of Mount Tabor, pass- 
ing by the base of Mount Car- 
mcl, through the plain of Es- 
draclon, and falling into the 
sea at a place called Caypha. 
On its banks was fought the fa- 
mous battle in which 10,000 
Hebrews, under Deborah and 
Barak, routed the vast host of 
Canaanites under Sisera, and 
freed Israel from a grievous 
oppression of 20 years. 
KITE,thesameasVuLTURB. 
KNEADING TROUGHS. 
The word so rendered means a 




round piece of leather with loop 
holes in the circumference, 

12* 



and a leathern thong by which 
it can be drawn together as a 



LAM 



138 



LAO 



purse, and slung over the 
shoulder, or hung on a camel. 
Spread on the ground, it an- 
swers for a table and table- 
cloth, and contains the frag- 
ments when the meal is finish- 
ed. The description, Ex. xii. 
34, is entirely incompatible 
with a wooden bowl; for the 
11 trough," as it is rendered, was 
" bound up in their clothes 
upon their shoulders/ 7 Ex. 
viii. 3. An exact idea of this 
utensil may be had from the 
picture. 

KNOP, a tufted top 5 a 
knot ; a cluster. 

KOHATH, the second son 
of Levi. His descendants 
were called Kohathites. Their 
business was, to carry on their 
shoulders the ark, and other 
sacred utensils of the taber- 
nacle ; but they were not, 
under pain of death, allowed 
to look into any of these, ex- 
cept the brazen laver. Ex. 
vi. 16—25. Numb. x. 21. 



L. 

LA'MECH is supposed to 
be the first person who had 
more than one wife. Gen. iv. 
23. The speech made to his 
wives is so oppositely con- 
strued by critics, and of so 
little importance now, that no 
remarks here would be useful. 

LAMENTATIONS, a 
»ook of Scripture, written by 



Jeremiah, after the troubles 
he had foretold in the book 
called by his name, had over- 
taken Israel. 

LAMP. The lamps of the 
ancients were of various kinds. 
Those used at wedding pro- 
cessions, consisted of" pieces 
of old linen, squeezed hard 
against one another in a 
round figure, and forcibly 
thrust down into a mould of 
copper." Those who hold 
them have in the other hand 
a pitcher, with a narrow neck 
and stopper, full of oil, of 
which they pour from time to 
time on the linen. This ex 
plains Christ's declaration, 
that he will " not quench the 
smoking flax," Matt. xii. 20 5 
and shows why the foolish 
virgins needed " oil in their 
vessels," Matt. xxv. 4. 

LANGUAGE was origi- 
nally given to man by his 
Creator, and afterwards bro- 
ken into a multitude of tongues 
at Babel. The Hebrew, it is 
almost certain, was the lan- 
guage of Adam and Eve. 
In it most of the Old Testa- 
ment is written. After the de- 
struction and final dispersion 
of the Jewish nation, it ceased 
to be the vernacular tongue of 
the Jews, and is now a dead 
language ; that is, it is no 
one's common speech. 

LAODICE'A, a city of 
Phrygia, in Asia Minor, 42 
miles south of Ephesus. It 
was anciently called Diospo~ 
lis, and then Rhoas ; Out Se- 
leucus, or perhaps Antiochus, 



LAV 



139 



L AZ 



the Syro-Grecian king, re- 
built it, and called it Laodi- 
cea, after his wife. It was 
destroyed by an earthquake, 
in the tenth year of Nero, a. 
d. 65, but soon rose from its 
ruins. A Christian church 
was early planted in this 
place. Rev. i. 11. It is now 
utterly desolate and uninhab- 
ited. Extensive ruins, haunt- 
ed by wolves and jackals, 
are yet to be seen. The na- 
tives call the place Ladikij. 
An adjacent village is called 
Eskihissar, where a few Chris- 
tians were found in 1820. 

LAPWING. The bird so 
called in our translation, is 
undoubtedly the hoopoe, a very 
oeautiful bird, but very dis- 
gusting in its habits. The 
LXX. render it epopah, and 
the Vulgate upupa, both which 
names are expressive of its 
loud note. The word occurs 
only in Lev. xi. 19, and Deut. 
xiv. 8. 

L ATTIC E, a window made 
of bars crossing each other. 
Jud. v. 28. 

LAVER, a vessel for wash- 
ing. The laver which stood 
in the enclosure of the taber- 
nacle, was made of the fine 
brazen mirrors which the He- 
brew women gave for the ser- 
vice of the tabernacle. Solo- 
mon had one made of vast 
size, supported by 12 brazen 
oxen, which was called the 
molten sea. 1 Kings vii. 22 — 
26 It was nearly fifty feet 
in circumference, and eight 
r eet deep. It held water for 



the priests to wash theii 
hands and feet with, having 
cocks by which the water ran 
into basins. He also made 
ten of inferior size, placed 
near the entrance of the tem- 
ple, for the washing of the 
offerings. 2 Chron. iv. 6. 

LAW. (1.) A rule direct- 
ing and obliging a rational 
creature in moral and re- 
ligious actions, Prov. xxviii. 
4. (2.) The whole doctrine 
delivered by God to his 
church, contained in the Old 
and New Testaments. (3.) 
The principles of reason, or 
the law of nature written on 
a man's heart. Rom. ii. 14. 
(4.) The decalogue, or ten 
commandments. Rom. ii. 25, 
vii. 7. (5.) The precepts of 
God in regard to the Jews, 
John i. 17, which are divided 
into moral, or those binding 
all men ; ceremonial, or those 
which prescribed the Jewish 
ritual 5 and civil, or those 
which related to the govern- 
ment of the Jews as a nation. 
(6.) The doctrine of the gos- 
pel. Rom. ill- 27. 

LAWYER, one versed in 
the laws. As the Jews had 
no written laws except those 
contained in the Old Testa- 
ment, a lawyer among them 
was a person familiar with 
Scripture, and whose busi- 
ness it was to expound it. 

LAZARUS, (l.)The broth- 
er of Martha, who was raised 
from the dead by his Lord. 
John xi. xii. (2.) A character 
described by the Saviour, ir 



LEB 



140 



LEE 



his parable of the rich and 
poor man. Luke xvi. Hence 
beggars are now called in Eu- 
rope Lazaroni. A receptacle 
for the sick is called, for the 
same reason, a Lazaretto, or 
Lazar-house. 

LEAD was very early 
known, Ex. xv. 10, and was 
used, among other purposes, 
to write upon. From Jer. vi. 
29, and Ezek. xxii. 17,22, we 
perceive it was then used in 
refining metals. It was used 
by the Romans to sheath 
their vessels, being fastened 
with bronze nails. 

LEASING, falsehoods, 
lies. Ps. iv. 2; v. 6. 

LEAVEN, a substance 
used to make bread light by 
producing fermentation. To 
this are compared the doc- 
trines of the gospel, Matt. xiii. 
33, on account of their silent 
extension and powerful ef- 
fects in the world. It is also 
applied to erroneous doctrines 
and vicious practices ; as of 
the Pharisees and Sadducees. 
Matt. xvi. 6, 12. 1 Cor. v. 6. 

LEBANON, a famous 
range of mountains in the 
north of Canaan. At the top 
grew cedars, and at the base 
excellent vines. There are 
two ridges, the eastern, called 
by the Greeks Anti-Libanus, 
and the western, or Proper 
Libanus, which runs nearly 
parallel to the coast of the 
Great Sea. From hence 
Solomon's workmen "brought 
great stones, costly stones, 
and hewed stones, to lay the 



foundation of the house." 1 
Kings v. 14—18. Mines of 
iron and copper were worked 
here. Deut. viii. 9. The 
highest summits, which aie 
probably about 12,000 feet 
above the level of the ocean, 
are always covered with snow, 
from wh»:h descend in sum- 
mer sweet and refreshing 
rivulets on every side. The 
principal range extends, some- 
what in the form of a cres- 
cent, from Cilicia to Esdrae- 
lon, a distance of 50 leagues. 
A spur of this mountain next 
the Holy Land is called Her- 
mon. Another spur to the 
eastward is Mount Gilead, 
where Laban overtook Jacob. 
Gen. xxxi. 25. 

LEEK, a plant very simi- 
lar in shape and qualities to 
the onion. The thick stalk 
is eaten raw, and is highly 
prized. The seed is made 
into bread. Its bulbous root 
is boiled and eaten like pota- 
toes. The word occurs 
in our translation only in 
Numb. xi. 5. The original 
term chatzir is in most other 
places rendered "grass." Ps. 
xxxvii. 2, &c. In Isa. xix. 
6, it is rendered Jlags, which 
Lowth says should oe lotus, 
the famous water-lily of E- 

gypt- 

LEES, dregs. Lees of old 
wine were so highly valued 
anciently as not to be sold 
with the liquor, unless it were 
expressly agreed. When 
wine a year old was *iut into 
a cask with the old ees, it 



LEP 



141 



LET 



looked muddy for a while, 
Dut they soon subsided, car- 
rying all impurities to the bot- 
tom. Hence " wine on the 
lees" is noted as so excellent. 
Isa. xxv. 6. 

LEGION, in the Roman 
army, was a body of soldiers, 
consisting of ten cohorts, or 
six thousand men. It seems, 
however, to have varied in 
the number of men, at differ- 
ent periods of time. In the 
case of the demoniac, Mark 
v. 9, the word seems to be used 
for an indefinite multitude. 

LENTILES, a sort of pulse 
like pease, much esteemed by 
the ancients. 2 Sam. xvii. 
28. Dr. Shaw says that, in 
Egypt, beans, lentiles andgar- 
vancoes are the chief of the 
pulse kind, and, when stewed 
with oil and garlic, are the 
principal food of persons of 
all ranks. Lentiles make a 
pottage of a chocolate color. 
This was the " red pottage," 
for which Esau exchanged his 
birthright. Gen. xxv. 34. 

LEOPARD, a beast of 
prey, equal in size to a large 
dog; beautifully spotted, and 
exceedingly fierce, cruel, and 
rapacious. The happy peace 
which shall distinguish Mes- 
siah's kingdom, is beautifully 
predicted by the figure of the 
leopard lying down with the 
kid. Isa. xi. 6. 

LEPROSY, one of the 
most calamitous of all dis- 
eases, but not often found in 
cold countries. Its first at- 
tack is on the skin, but at last 



it affects the whole S} r stem, 
Patients often live many 
years, but are seldom if ever 
cured. It is not now very 
common any where, but is 
found among the Arabs, and 
generally over the East. At 
Scio, Howard found a hos- 
pital expressly for patients 
laboring under this malady. 
It contained 120 persons, 
lodged in separate rooms. 
The symptoms and progress 
of the infection are fully de- 
scribed in the law of Moses. 
Lev. xiii. 

LET is expressive, (1.) 
of command, 1 Kings xviii. 
40 ; (2.) of entreaty, Ps. 
Ixix. 6 ; (3.) of permission, 
Josh. xxiv. 28; (4.) of in- 
trusting, or assigning by lease, 
Song viii. 11 ; (5.) to hin- 
der, or keep back, Isa. xliii. 
13 ; 2 Thess. ii. 7. 

LETTER, a mark used as 
the representative cf a soud^ 
The ancient Egyptians wrou. 
in hieroglyphics. The CM- 
nese use letters, which, in- 
stead of signifying simple 
sounds, signify words. It is 
said they amount to 80,000; 
making it immensely difficult 
for a foreigner to learn the 
language. The Hebrew let- 
ters, from which all other 
alphabets except the Chinese 
seem to have been originally 
derived, are an invention so 
wonderful and useful, as to 
make it almost certain that 
they were the gift of God ; 
probably in the tables of the 
law given to Moses. 



LIB 



142 



LIG 



LEVIATHAN. Probably 
the animal meant by this 
name is the crocodile, which 
is a creature every way terri- 
ble, growing often to the 
length of thirty feet. It is 
shaped like the lizard, and 
lays its eggs in the sand to be 
hatched by the sun. By the 
kind providence of God, the 
ichneumon is fond of these 
eggs, and discovers and de- 
stroys great quantities of them. 
Were it not for this, they 
would dreadfully increase. 

LEVITE, one of the tribe 
of Levi; an inferior minister 
in the Jewish temple ; by 
which title he is distinguished 
from the priest, who, though 
likewise of the race of Levi, 
yet was descended from Aaron, 
whose posterity were employ- 
ed in the higher offices. 

LEVITICUS, the third 
book of the Old Testament ; 
so called chiefly because it 
contains the various laws of 
the Hebrews, especially the 
sacrifices, the charge of which 
was committed to the Levites, 
out of whom were taken the 
priests. In the Arabic and 
Syriac versions, it is called 
the law of the priests. With- 
out this book, many parts of 
the NewTestament,especially 
the Epistle to the Hebrews, 
could not be fully understood. 

LIBERTINES, free men, 
an appellation given to such 
Jews as had obtained, by birth 
or otherwise, the freedom of 
a Roman city ; or, in other 
words, the rights of a Roman 



citizen. Acts vi. 9. It was 
a birthright of Paul. Acts 
xxii. 28. 

LIBERTY, the power to 
do, or forbear to do ; freedom, 
as opposed to slavery, or to 
necessity ; deliverance from 
any bondage ; freedom from 
the veil of ignorance and 
spiritual blindness, from the 
curse and yoke of the law, 
and from the slavery of sin 5 
a power of choice in using 
things indifferent. 1 Cor. 
viii. 9. 

LIBYA, a part of Africa, 
bordering on Egypt, famous 
for its armed chariots and 
horses. 2Chron. xvi. 8. 

LIGHT, (1.) That pure 
brightness which is every 
where diffused by the rays of 
the sun, and is the medium of 
vision. (2.) God, who is a 
being of infinite wisdom, truth, 
holiness, purity, <fec. 1 John 
i. 5. (3.) Jesus Christ, who 
is the Fountain and Author of 
all knowledge, both natural 
and spiritual. Luke ii. 32. 
John i. 9. (4.) The word of 
God, and saving knowledge 
of it, which conducts and 
guides Christians in this world, 
and points out the way to 
eternal happiness. Ps. cxix. 
105. Matt. iv. 16. 2 Pet. i. 
19. (5.) The apostles or min- 
isters of the gospel, who as- 
sist others, and direct them to 
Christ and salvation. Matt, v 
14, 16. (6.) Christians, who 
are enlightened by the Holy 
Spirit, and are a light unto the 
world, Luke xvi. 8. Eph.v. 8, 



LTL 



143 



L IO 



LIGHTNING, the flash of 
the electric fluid, as it passes 
from one cloud to another, or 
from any body overcharged 
with it, to one which has less. 
The report it makes is called 
thunder, and is but one crack, 
though its echoes from cloud 
to cloud, give it a continued, 
rumbling- noise. The power 
and wrath of God are often 
represented by thunder and 
lightning. Job xxxvii. 3 — 5. 
Ps. xviii. 12. Dan. x. 6, 
&c. 

LIGN ALOE, a small tree, 
8 or 10 feet high, from both 
the flower and the wood of 
which a rich and costly per- 
fume is still obtained in the 
East. Ps. xlv. 9. Cant. iv. 
14. 

LIGURE, a precious stone ; 
but of what exact kind, it is 
now difficult to ascertain. It* 
is generally thought by learn- 
ed men to be the leschem. a 
gem of a deep red color, resem- 
bling the carbuncle. It was 
the first in the third row of the 
high priest's breast-plate, and 
had the name of Gad inscribed 
on it. It occurs in Ex. xxviii. 
19, and xxxix. 12, only. 

LILY, a well-known and 
beautiful plant, of which there 
are many varieties. The 
fields of the Levant are over- 
run with the superb amavyllis 
lutea, to which probably our 
Saviour alludes, Matt. vi. 30. 
As the scarcity of fuel obliges 
the inhabitants to use every 
sort of combustible matter, the 
withered stalks of these and 



other flowers are ased for 
ovens, &c. 

By the " lily of the valley," 
we are not to understand the 
humble flower so called with 
us, but the noble flower of the 
larger kind. The lily men- 
tioned Cant. ii. 2. v. 13, seems 
to be the crown imperial, or 
Persian lily. The drop of 
sweet liquor alluded to, is the 
roscid nectar always found at 
the bottom of this flower. 

LIME, a friable substance 
derived from calcining shells, 
and certain species of stone. 
It must have been known very 
early as a cement, being 
spoken of as such, Deut. xxvii. 
2 and 4, and Isa. xxxiii. 12. 

LINEN, cloth made of flax, 
well known at a very early 
period. In Ex. xxv. 4, the 
word so rendered probably 
means cotton. Specimens of 
cotton cloth are found on the 
oldest mummies. 

LINTEL, that part of a 
door frame which crosses the 
door overhead. 

LION, the noblest of ani- 
mals. It is found only in tor- 
rid climates, and much less 
numerous now than formerly. 
It lives 60 or 80 years, but is 
not prolific. The allusions to 
its strength, courage, vora 
ciousness, generosity, &c. in 
Scripture, are very numerous. 
His rage is tremendous. Job 
iv. ll.Prov.xxx,30. Amosiii.8. 

Lions were sent by Jeho- 
vah to chastise the profancrs 
of his chosen heritage. 2 
Kings xvii. 25, 26. The peo- 



LOC 



144 



LOR 



Die humbled themselves, and 
adopted the Jewish laws and 
worship, at first in addition to 
their heathen institutions, but 
afterward exclusively. These 
were the Samaritans. 

The " Lion of the tribe of 
Judah" is Jesus Christ, who 
will mightily destroy the en- 
emies of his church, and gra- 
ciously receive such as submit 
themselves. Rev. v. 5. 

LIZARD occurs Lev. xi. 
30, and ^s no doubt the animal 
low c ailed by that name. 

LO, the same as look, behold. 

LOCUST, an insect well 
known among us, which in 
the East is often five or six 
inches long 1 , and of the thick- 
ness of a man's thumb. Its 
head is shaped like that of a 
horse. Joel ii. 4. The mouth 
is large, and furnished with 
four incisive teeth, which trav- 
erse each other like scissors. 
The noise by a flock of them 
eating, is compared by Joel 
(ii. 5.) to the crackling sound 
of fire among stubble, and by 
modern travellers to the rat- 
tling of had stones. The 
prophetical writings of the Old 
Testament abound with allu- 
sions to this insect as one of 
God's most dreadful scourges. 
All travellers in the East speak 
of the occasional ravages of 
this insect. The swarms are 
often a mile in length, dark- 
ening the day as they pass 
over, and forming a thickness 
of several inches when they 
settle on the earth. Nothing 
can impede their march 3 they 



fill up the deepest trenches, 
extinguish fires, avid climb 
walls. All verdure disap- 
pears, and the country looks 
as if burnt over with fire. Ex. 
x. 4—19. 

Pliny states that in Ethio- 
pia and Parthia, they were 
generally eaten as wholesome 
and agreeable food. The 
law of Moses pronounced 
them lawful to be eaten. Lev. 
xi. 8& John the Baptist ate 
locusts while in the wilder- 
ness. Mark i. 6. But whether 
these were the insects so call- 
ed, or the sweet pulpy pods 
of a tree, is not fully agreed. 
The modern Arabs catch great 
quantities, which they cook in 
various ways, removing the 
legs and wings, and adding 
oil, salt, &c. Jackson, in 
his account of Morocco, states 
that locusts are there esteem- 
ed a great delicacy, and dur- 
ing the time of their swarming, 
are served up at the principal 
tables. 

LOG, a Hebrew liquid 
measure, containing about a 
pint. Lev. xiv. 10. 

LOINS, the lower region 
of the back. The Orientals, 
who wear long robes, are 
obliged, when they apply 
themselves to any business, 
to use a girdle. Hence to 
have the u loins girded," is 
the same as to be in readiness 
for action. Luke xii. 35. 
Eph. vi. 14. 

LOOKING-GLASS. See 
Mirror. 

LORD, a name of God, 



LOW 



145 



LUS 



oAcn given in Scripture to 
Jesus Christ. When the word 
is found in our translation 
printed in small capitals, it 
always stands for the Hebrew 
word Jehovah. The word, 
in restricted senses, is applied 
to those who possess authori- 
ty, as a husband, Gen. xviii. 
12 ; a master, John xv. 15 j a 
prince, Gen. xxiv. 18. 

LOT, the son of Haran, 
and nephew of Abraham ; 
and, as we suppose, brother 
of Sarah. After the death of 
his father, ho lived and travel- 
led with Abraham. Gen. xi. 
31. 

LOTS, things cast or drawn 
in order to determine a point 
in debate. It is a solemn ap- 
peal to God, for an immediate 
interposal of his directive 
power, for determining an af- 
fair 5 and, on that account, 
ought to be used in nothing 
but what is important, and 
cannot otherwise be peace- 
fully determined ; and then 
to be used with reverence and 
prayer. Pro v. xvi. 33 5 xviii. 
18. Acts i. 24—26. 1 Sam. 
xiv. 41. 

LOVE, a natural affection 
of the mind, inclining us to 
esteem, or delight in an ob- 
ject ) a gracious principle or 
habit wrought in the soul by 
God, which inclines us to 
obey him, to seek communion 
with him, and to study to pro- 
mote his glory, and disposes 
us to do good to all. 

LOW, not rising far up- 
wards, Ezek. xvii. 6, 24 3 not 
13 



elevated in situation, Isa. 
xxxii. 19 ; not high in rank, 
Job v. 11 ; Luke i. 48, 52- 
humble, not proud, Ezek. 
xxi. 26. u Lower parts of the 
earth," in Jsa. xliv. 23, signify 
the valleys ; in Ps. lxiii. 9, 
Eph. iv. 9, the grave, or the 
state of the dead. 

LU'CIFER, literally a light- 
giver. The name occurs but 
once in our translation, and 
there must mean the king of 
Babylon. Princes are often 
called stars in the Bible, and 
the king of Babylon was thus 
distinguished above othe-s. 
as Venus (formerly called 
Lucifer) is among stars. Some 
of the fathers thought this pas- 
sage meant Satan, and hence 
he is now frequently called 
Lucifer. 

LUHITH, a city ofMoab. 
Isa. xv. 5. Its name in Jose- 
phus and Ptolemy is Lyssa. 

LUKE was a native of 
Antioch in Syria, and a phy- 
sician. He wrote not only 
the Gospel which is called by 
his name, but the Acts of the 
Apostles. His language is 
exceedingly pure and classi 

LUKEWARM, neither cold 
nor hot. This state is de- 
scribed as inexpressibly loath- 
some to Christ j but alas ! 
great numbers of professors 
are obviously, and habitually, 
lukewarm. Rev. iii. 16. 

LUST, or desire, a term 
used in Scripture for any de- 
praved inclination, such as 
revenge, covetousness, envy 



L Y D 



146 



MAG 



malice, incontinence, &e. 
When it is said '* the spirit 
lusteth against the flesh," it 
means that the spirit excites 
desires contrary to fleshly and 
carnal appetites. Gal. v. 17. 
This conflict of desires con- 
stitutes part of the Christian 
warfare. The mortification 
of lusts is a prominent part 
of our duty, Rom. viii. 13 5 1 
Cor. ix. 27 5 Col. iii. 5 ; and 
being of course most difficult 
when first attempted, makes a 
religious life most arduous at 
the outset. 

LYCAO'NIA has Cappa- 
docia on the east, Galatia on 
the north, Phrygia on the 
west, and Pisidia on the south. 
A remarkable lake exists in 
this province, called Tatta, 
ahd by the moderns Tuzla, 
which yields salt. Its chief 
cities were Iconium, Derbe, 
and Lystra. The present 
name of this province is Cara- 
mania. 

LYC'IA, or Lysia, a pro- 
vince of AsiaMinor, having the 
Mediterranean on the south, 
and Pamphylia on the north. 

LYDDA, a large village or 
city, not far from Joppa, Acts 
ix. 38, eminent for its schools 
of learned Jews. It was 
burnt by Cestius, while its 
males were gone to Jerusalem 
to the feast of tabernacles 5 
God, after the crucifixion, not 
taking the care of them at these 
times as he had formerly 
done. It is now called Dios- 
polis. 



M. 

MACEDONIA, a large 
country north of Greece, 
peopled by the descendants 
of Javan, and formerly called 
Emathia. It was bounded by 
the mountains of Haemus on 
the north, the JEgean Sea on 
the east, Achaia on the south, 
and the Adriatic Sea on the 
west. Its metropolis was 
Thessalonica. One of its 
mountains was the famous 
Olympus. Several other 
countries, however, had moun- 
tains so called, and esteemed 
sacred. It was a famous 
monarchy under Philip, and 
Alexander the Great, who con- 
quered Greece, Persia, and a 
part of Judea. About a. m. 
3856, it became a part of the 
great Roman empire, and con- 
tinued so 1600 years, when 
the Ottoman Turks conquered 
it. Paul planted the gospel 
here, and the Christians con- 
tributed very generously to 
their suffering brethren at 
Jerusalem. Christianity has 
never been wholly eradicated 
from Macedonia, though the 
Turks have been cruel mas- 
ters and persecutors. 

MACHPE'LAH, the cave 
where Abraham was buried, 
was near Hebron. 

MAG 'DAL A, a city or ter 
ritory on the margin of Lake 
Gennesareth j either the same 
as Dalmanutha, or very near 



MAM 



147 



M AN 



H. Compare Matt. xv. 39, 
with Mark viii. 10. Mary 
Magdalene was so called 
from having lived here. 

MAGICIANS, or Magi. 
See Wise Men. 

MA'GOG. See Gog. 

MALACHI, the last of the 
prophets of the Old Testa- 
ment. He flourished after the 
rebuilding of Jerusalem and 
the temple by Nehemiah, and 
was cotemporary with Plato ; 
the philosopher ; Cimon, the 
Athenian general ; Amyr- 
talus, kingofEgypt,and Da- 
rius Nothus, king of Per- 
sia. With him the prophet- 
ical office seems to have ceas- 
ed for nearly 400 years 5 that 
is, till Messiah came. About 
40 years after the delivery of 
his prophecy, was born Aris- 
totle, the philosopher. 

MALLOYVS, a plant very 
useful in medicine. One spe- 
cies grows to about the size 
of Indian corn. What plant is 
meant, Job xxx. 4, where 
alone the word occurs, is not 
certain. , It is evidently food 
for poor people, and may 
therefore be the halimus, a 
saltish plant, growing wild 
on poor land, which is eaten 
in Syria and elsewhere, as we 
do greens. 

MAMMON, a Syriac word 
signifying riches or treasure. 
No man can " serve God and 
mammon ;" i. e. no one can 
serve God, while his great aim 
and desire is to heap up, 
enjoy, and retain worldly 
wealth. Matt. vi. 24. 



MAN. The Hebrew word 

for man is Enosh, that is, 
wretched, to denote his con- 
dition in his apostasy from 
God. The "natural man," 
1 Cor. ii. 14, means one that 
is unrenewed, and has no prin- 
ciple of grace in the heart. 
u The inward man,'' Rom. 
vii. 22, is the regenerate part 
within, or the principle of 
grace in the heart. <•' The 
man of God," 2 Tim. iii. 17, 
is cne that is guided by the 
Spirit of God, and in a special 
manner devoted to his service. 

Man of Sin. See Anti- 
christ. 

MANDRAKE, a species 
of melon or berry, cultivated 
in the East, for the sake of its 
fragrance. Though commen- 
tators have puzzled them- 
selves with questions on this 
subject, it seems plain that 
the word is properly rendered 
mandrake, and means a plant 
so called in the East to this 
day. The original word, which 
only occurs twice, is so ren- 
dered by the LXX, and both 
the Targums. It grows like 
lettuce, has purple flowers, 
and bears a fruit resembling 
a small red apple. The smell 
and taste are pleasant ; but it 
stupifies or intoxicates if eaten 
to excess. 

MA'NEH, a Hebrew weight 
of 60 shekels. Ezek. xlv. 12 
It was the 50th part of a 
talent. 

MANNA, the food which 
God gave the children of Is- 
rael in the wilderness. It was 



MAN 



148 



MAR 



a little grain, white, like our 
hoar-frost, which fell every 
morning-, except on the Sab- 
bath, about the camp of the 
Israelites. Ex. xvi. 15. Be- 
sides the nourishing virtue of 
i he manna, that sustained the 
Hebrews in the desert, it was 
altogether miraculous on other 
accounts. It fell on six days 
of every week, not on the 
seventh, and in such prodi- 
gious quantities, as to sustain 
almost three millions of men, 
women and children ! It fell 
in double quantities on the 
sixth day, that there might be 
enough for the seventh. It 
fell only on Israel's camp. It 
remained fresh all the seventh 
day, but at any other time 
bred worms, if kept over 
night. It constantly continued 
for forty years, and ceased as 
soon as the Hebrews had ac- 
cess to eat of the produce of 
Canaan. Christ is the hidden 
manna, the bread of eternal 
life, which those eat who par- 
take of the blessings and com- 
forts which flow from him. 
John vi. 32, 35. 

The manna now sold in the 
shops is a different substance 
from the miraculous food 
of the Hebrews. It is pro- 
duced abundantly in the East. 
Burckhardt found it in the 
Holy Land, dropping from the 
tarfa tree, in the month of 
June. The Arabs clear away 
the leaves, dirt, &c. and when 
boiled and strained, put it into 
bags or skins, to be used as 
*c do honey. It is highly 



nourishing, but if eaten in large 
quantities, proves slightly pur- 
gative. 

MARANA'THA, a Syriac 
word, meaning u our Lord 
cometh." The expression "Let 
him be anathema marana- 
tha/* 1 Cor. xvi. 23, means 
" Let him be cursed at the 
coming of the Lord/ 7 as though 
it were said, " Our discipline 
is not adequate to his offence; 
he is remitted to the ven- 
geance of God." 

MARBLE, a valuable and 
well-known species of stone. 
The Septuagint and Vulgate 
render the word, where it oc- 
curs, Parian stone. The cliff 
Ziz, 2 Chr. xv. 16, was prob- 
ably so called from its being 
a marble crag. 1 Ch. xxix. 
2. Est. i. 6. 

MARK, the son of Mary, 
at whose house a prayer meet- 
ing was held. Acts xii. 12. He 
was cousin to Barnabas, and 
companion of Paul and Bar- 
nabas. Acts xv. 37. 

MARKET, the place of 
selling meat, &c. which, an- 
ciently, was generally some 
open space, near temples, 
theatres, courts of justice, &c. 
Hence we read of Paul's dis- 
puting in the market, Acts 
xvii. 17, and being led to the 
market to be accused, Acts 
xvi. 19. And hence Phari- 
sees loved u greetings in the 
market-places," from judges 
and learned persons who there 
passed to and fro. Mark xii. 38. 
MARRIAGE, the legal 
union of a man and woman in 



MAR 



149 



MAT 



wedlock. It also signifies the 
sacred and mystical union be- 
tween Christ and his church. 
Eph. v. 30—32. Christians are 
forbidden to marry unbeliev- 
ers. 2 Cor. vi. 14. ICor. vii.39. 

MARS-HILL. See Are- 
cp'agus. 

MARY. Four or five per- 
sons mentioned in the New 
Testament seem to have 
borne this name. Great dif- 
ficult}'- occurs in designating 
them, and learned men differ 
widely in their attempts to 
make the subject plain. The 
following- account seems lia- 
ble to fewest objections. 

1. The mother of our Lord. 
She was the daughter of Eli, 
or Joachim, of the family of 
David. 

2. The wife of Cleophas, 
and mother of James, Jude, 
Joses, Simeon, and Salome. 
It has been thoug-ht that Cleo- 
phas, and Joseph the husband 
of the virgin Mary, were 
brothers ; which would make 
these Marys sisters, and ac- 
cording- to the custom of the 
Jews, her children would be 
called brothers of our Lord. 
John xix. 25. Matt, xxvii. 56. 
Luke xxiv. 10. Matt. xiii. 55. 
She early believed on our 
Saviour, attended his preach- 
ing-, and ministered to his sup- 
port. She was a witness of 
his crucifixion, Mark xv. 40, 
41, and at his burial prepared 
spices for embalming- his body. 
Luke xxiii. 56. 

3. Mary Magdalene 
leems to have been an inhab- 
13* 



itant of Magdala. It is thought 
that she was a plaiter of hair 
to the women of her city. It 
is commonly considered, that, 
before her conversion, she 
was of infamous character, 
but this is not affirmed in the 
Scriptures. It is also com- 
monly supposed, that this was 
she who anointed Christ's 
feet in the Pharisee's house ; 
but some suppose that the 
woman who so did, was Mary 
the sister of Martha. But the 
anointing- in the house of the 
Pharisee and that at Bethany, 
seem not to have been the 
same. 

Of the other several Marys 
nothing- can be affirmed posi 
lively. 

MAS'CHIL, a title to sev- 
eral psalms, probably denot- 
ing- a song of instruction. 

MA'TRIX, a place in which 
any thing- is formed ; a womb. 
Ex. xiii. 12, 15. 

MATTHEW, also named 
Levi, v» as a Galilean by birth, 
and a tax-gatherer by profes- 
sion. He wrote the Gospel 
called by his name, probably 
about a . d . 38 or 41 , in the He- 
brew language. Some critics 
maintain, that, a few years 
afterward, he wrote his Gospel 
in Greek j and some consider 
it to have been originally 
written in that language. A- 
bout a. D. 184, there was 
found in the East Indies a 
Greek copy. In the year 488, 
another Greek copy was found 
at Cyprus, written on wood 
and esteemed very ancient. 



ME A 



150 



MED 



MATTHIAS, one of the 

seventy disciples, chosen by 
the first church, perhaps with- 
out a sufficient divine warrant, 
to fill the place of Judas Is- 
cariot. Paul was certainly an 
apostle of Jesus Christ. Rom. 
»* 5. 1 Cor. ix. 2, and xv. 9. 
2 Cor. xi. 5. The number 12 
is preserved in relation to the 
apostles in the Apocalypse, 
and not 13. Rev. xxi. 14. 

MAZ'ZAROTH, supposed 
to mean a constellation in the 
heavens. It was the Chaldee 
name for the signs of the Zo- 
diac. Job xxxviii. 32. 

MEASURE, that by which 
any thing is measured or pro- 
portioned. Many learned men 
have bestowed great labor in 
ascertaining the exact length 
or capacity of Hebrew meas- 
ures j but they differ widely 
from eaoh other. Standard 
measures, made by Moses, 
were at first deposited in the 
tabernacle, and afterwards in 
the temple, under the cogni- 
zance of the priests. When 
Solomon's tgmple was de- 
stroyed, these standards of 
course perished, and the whole 
subject is now uncertain j and 
though tables of measures are 
often given in books, thev can- 
not be implicitly relied on. 
Under each term of this sort, 
that explanation is given, 
which seems most probable. 

MEAT. The term is ap- 
plied to divine instruction, 
because it nourishes the mind. 
The higher and more difficult 
doctrines are called meat, in 



contradistinction to the firsi 
principles, which are called 
milk. 1 Cor. iii. 2. This 
word, in Scripture, never 
means flesh, but often means 
any food but flesh, and gen- 
erally any thing to be eaten. 

MEAT-OFFERING, an 
offering consisting of flour, 
meal, oil, &c. or cakes baked 
in an oven. 

MED'EBA, a city of Moab. 
Numb. xxi. 30. Josh. xiii. 16. 
It was destroyed about the 
days of Isaiah, and rebuilt 
some considerable time before 
the advent of our Lord. It is 
called in profane history Me- 
dava. 

MEDIA, a vast region be- 
tween Persia and the Caspian 
Sea, deriving its name from 
Madai, son of Japhet. Gen. 
x. 2. Cyrus, king of Persia, 
became by his wife heir to the 
crown of Media, thus uniting 
the kingdom of the Medes and 
Persians. Media is now call- 
ed Aider- Beitzan, and some- 
times Irak-Adjam. 

MEDIATOR, one who acts 
between parties at variance, 
in order to bring them to an 
agreement. Gal. iii. 20. Moses 
was often a mediator between 
Jehovah and the Jews. Deut. 
v. 5. The Lord Jesus is now 
the u one Mediator between 
God and men." 1 Tim. ii. 5. 
He, by his satisfaction to God, 
and intercession with him on 
one hand, and by his power- 
ful and gracious influence on 
sinful men on the other, bring 
both together, into a ne\* 



MEG 



151 



MEL 



covenant state of agreement. 
Heb. viii. 6 ; xii. 24. 

MEEKNESS, that quiet 
temper of mind, which is not 
soon provoked to anger, but 
suffers injuries without desire 
of revenge, and submits to the 
will of God. Col. iii. 12. A 
humble frame of spirit, ready 
to receive and entertain the 
truths of God's word. James 
i. 21. It is a grace of un- 
speakable value, 1 Pet. iii. 4 j 
Ps. xxxvii. 11 j and shone con- 
spicuously in the life of Christ. 
2 Cor. x. 1. Matt. xi. 29. 
Christians are exhorted, with 
great frequency and fervor, to 
excel in this grace. Eph. iv. 
2. 1 Tim. vi. 11. Tit. iii. 
2,&c. 

MEGID'DO, a city in the 
tribe of Manasseh, famous for 
two great battles being fought 
near it. In one, Jabin's army 
was routed by Deborah and 
Barak, Judg. v. 19 5 in the 
other, Josiah was overthrown 
and slain by Necho, king of 
Egypt, who was on his way 
through the land of Israel to 
attack the king of Babvion. 
2 Kings xxiii. 29, 30. Near 
Megiddo was the town of Ha- 
dad-Rimmon,( afterwards call- 
ed Maximianopolis ;) there- 
fore the lamentation for the 
death of Josiah, is called " the 
mourning of Hadad-Rimmon, 
in the valley of Megiddo.'' 
Zech. xii. 11. The greatness 
of that mourning for good 
Josiah was such as to cause 
this expression to become a 
proverbial one for any great 



sorrowing", and is so used by 
the prophet. 

MELCHISEDEK, a priest, 
though not a Jew. Of his 
nation, parentage, age, &c. 
nothing" is known. Hence he 
is said to be " without de- 
scent, having neither ' »egin- 
ning of days, nor end of life." 
Gen. xiv. 17—20. Heb. vii 
1 — 11. Jesus is a Priest after 
the order of Melchisedek : as 
God, he was without begin- 
ning 5 as Man, his origin was 
miraculous : he was installed 
in his office only by God, and 
is therein superior to all other 
priests. Heb. v. 10 ; vi. 20. 

MEL'ITA, or malta, a 
small island of the Mediter- 
ranean Sea, 18 miles long, 
and 12 broad, which seems 
to have had its name from its 
being Melet, or a place of 
refuge to the ancient Tyrians 
in their voyages to Carthage 
and Spain. About a. d. 63, 
Paul and his companions were 
shipwrecked on this island, 
and kindly entertained by the 
natives. It was seized by the 
Goths and Vandals in the fifth 
century, then by the Normans 
in the eleventh, and afterward 
was taken by Louis IX. of 
France. Abcut a. d. 1530, 
it was given by Charles V. 
to the military knights who 
had been driven by the Turks 
from Rhodes. These were 
dispossessed and dispersed by 
the French under Bonaparte, 
in 1798. It was afterwards 
taken from the French by 
England, under whose gov 



MEL 



152 



MER 



eminent it now remains. The 
number of inhabitants is about 
50,000. These are, for the 
most part, Catholics, and ex- 
cessively ignorant and degra- 
ded. Mr. Fisk saw no books 
in the language, but a popish 
catecl ism, the Gospel of John, 
(printed by the Church Mis- 
sionary Society,) a grammar 
and a dictionary. The Rev. 
Mr. Temple, speaking of the 
aversion of Romish priests lo 
the perusal of the Scriptures 
by the common people, says 
that, on account of this preju- 
dice, " government has, for 
the last 5 years, declined giv- 
ing permission to the Malta 
Bible Society to place a 
board over the door of its 
depository for the purpose of 
informing the public that Bi- 
bles could be had there !" It 
has lately become a centre of 
missionary and Bible opera- 
tions for the countries border- 
ing on the Mediterranean. By 
the contributions of Chris- 
tians, printing presses are es- 
tablished here, and kept em- 
ployed in producing tracts, 
&c. in the Arabic, Greek, 
Turkish, and other languages. 
As it is a place of great com- 
merce, these productions are 
easily distributed. 

MELONS are common in 
the East, and are similar to 
ours, but more various in their 
kinds. In Egypt, they are 
excellent j but in Hindoostan 
and Burmah, water-melons 
are so insipid as to be eaten 
with sugar. 



MEMPHIS, an Egjptian 
city of great size and splen- 
dor, which stood near old 
Cairo, but of which there are 
now no vestiges. Hos. ix. 6. 
See Noph. 

MER'ARITES, descend- 
ants of Mer'ari, the third son 
of Levi. These were bearers 
of the materials of the taber- 
nacle, and in after times the 
sacred porters. 

MERCURY, one of the 
fabulous deities of the hea- 
then, was the son of Jupiter and 
Maia, and messenger to the 
rest. He was worshipped as 
the patron of learning, elo- 
quence, and trade. He was 
sometimes called Hermes. 
The fluency of Paul made the 
people of Lystra suppose 
Paul was Mercury. Acts 
xiv. 12. 

MERCY, that attribute of 
God which induces him to 
pity and relieve his suffering 
creatures. Tit. iii. 5 Our 
blessings are therefore called 
mercies, Rom. xii. I. It 
means also that feeling which 
prompts us to assist the un- 
fortunate, and to forgive those 
that do wrong. Matt. v. 7. 
Luke vi. 36. 

MERCY-SEAT, the lid of 
the ark of the covenant, 
round which was the crown or 
border of gold, and on which 
tne cherubim were represent- 
ed as looking. Before this 
the high-priest stood to ask 
counsel of the Lord, and 
there he received blessings 
for the people. Christ is our 



ME 6 



153 



MI D 



mercy-seat, Rom. iii. 25, and 
by him we have access to the 
Father. See Ark. 

MERO'DACH, a Babylo- 
nian idol, representing", it is 
thought, the planet Mars. Jer. 
1. 2. It was often a part of 
the names of kings, as Mero- 
dack-Baladan. Isa. xxxix. 1. 

ME 'ROM, the northern 
lake supplied by the Jordan. 
It lies near Mount Hermon. 
It is now called the lake of 
Houle. See Jordan. 

MESOPOTAMIA, (liter- 
ally between rivers,) the fa- 
mous province between the 
Tigris and Euphrates, called 
in the Old Testament, Padan- 
Aram ; by the ancient Greeks, 
Seleucia ; and by the Latins, 
Mediamaa. Some suppose 
that the wise men who visited 
the infant Jesus, were from 
this country. Here were tne 
garden of Eden and the tower 
of Babel. It was the original 
residence of Abraham, Isaac, 
Jacob, and all their children, 
save Benjamin. Gen. xi. 31. 
It was astonishingly populous, 
containing, according to Ptol- 
emy, seventy important cities. 
Christianity, in a mutilated 
form, still exists here, amid 
much Turkish oppression. 
The region is still fertile, and 
is now called Diarbelcir. 

MESSIAH, literally the 
anointed. It is applied ex- 
clusively to that sovereign 
Deliverer, who was expected 
by the Jews, and came at the 
appointed time. Dan. ix. 25, 
26. John i. 41. See Christ. 



MICAH, a prophet, who 
lived in the latter days of 
Isaiah and Hosea. 

The Book of Micah 
is one of the most important 
prophecies in the Old Testa- 
ment. Previous predictions 
had limited the "seed of the 
woman" to the line of Shem, 
the descendants of Abraham, 
the tribe of Judah, and the 
house of David. Micah sheds 
further light, by designating 
the very place of his birth, 
(ch. v. 2,) with other import- 
ant circumstances of his king- 
dom and glory. 

MI'CHAEL, the name of 
the archangel. Rev. xii. 7. 
Persons often speak of '* an- 
gels and archangels/' but the 
latter word is never in Scrip- 
ture used in the plural. 

MICH'MASH, a city of 
Benjamin, 9 miles north-east 
of Jerusalem. 1 Sam. xiii. 5. 

MIDIAN, a territory on the 
east border of the Dead Sea, 
so called from Midian, the 
fourth son of Abraham, by 
Keturah. The Midianites 
joined with Moab in seducing 
Israel, for which their king- 
dom was nearly destroyed. 
They gradually grew to 
strength again, and, 200 years 
afterward, proved a scourge 
to the Israelites. Having op- 
pressed Israel seven years 
in the days of Gideon, the 
Lord delivered them into the 
hands of a few Hebrews, by 
whom they were nearly ex- 
terminated, and the remainder 
are supposed to have become 



MIL 



154 



MIN 



mcorporated with the Moab- 
ites or Ammonites. Ex. iii. 1. 
Jud. vi. viii. 

MIL'COM. See Moloch. 

MJLE. The Roman mile, 
mentioned Matt. v. 41 ; was 
149 yards less than our mile, 
i. e. 1611 yards. 

MILETUS, or Miletum, 
a seaport of Caria in Lesser 
Asia, and the capital of both 
Caria and Ionia. It stood 
about 36 miles south-west of 
Ephesus, and is said to have 
been built by Miletus, the son 
of the god Apollb, whose 
temple here was exceedingly 
magnificent. Here were four 
harbors sufficient to hold all 
the Persian fleet. Here 
Thales and Anaximenes, the 
philosophers, and Timotheus, 
the musician, were born. The 
place was famed for its milote. 
or milate, a soft kind of wool, 
of which they made fine car- 
pets. Paul sent for, and gave 
solemn charges to the elders 
of that church. Acts xx. 15— 
33. For about 300 years af- 
ter Christ, we find no trace of 
a church at Miletus ; but in 
the 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th cen- 
turies of the Christian era. 
there were bishops in this 
place. Since the Saracens 
ravaged these parts, it has so 
gone to ruin, that nothing is 
to be seen but rubbish, and a 
few cottages for shepherds. 

MILL. See Grind, 

MILLET, a very common 
grain in Eastern countries, 
but far inferior in excellence 
to wheat. Its name is deriv- 



ed from the Latin mille, a 
thousand, in allusion to its 
extraordinary fruitfulness. It 
is made into bread with oL? 
or butter, and is almost the 
only food of the poorer classes 
in Arabia Felix. The word 
occurs Ezek. iv. 9, only. 

MINCIN-G, doing a thing 
affectedly, as eating, walking, 
&c. Isa. iii. 16. 

MINISTER, one who 
serves another. It is applied 
to Christ, who is called a 
" Minister of the sanctuary," 
being now entered into heav- 
en, where he is our prevalent 
Intercessor; — to such as are 
appointed to attend the ser- 
vice of God in his church, to 
dispense faithfully and wisely 
the word and sacraments j— 
to officers of the state and 
magistrates, who punish the 
transgressors of the law, and 
defend the good 3 — to the holy 
angels, who are always ready, 
as willing servants, to execute 
the commands of God. 

MINSTREL, a professed 
musician, or singer. Elisha 
had one to soothe his troubled 
mind, 2 Kings iii. 15 3 as did 
Saul, 1 Sam. xvi. 23. Some 
of these were employed at 
funerals to superintend the 
rites of interment. They 
sang and played funeral odes, 
and mournful songs 3 uttered 
doleful shrieks and ejacula- 
tions, and excited the sympa 
thy of spectators by exhibiting 
the most vehement expres- 
sions of grief. The practice 
was very ancient, as we learc 



M 1R 



155 



MIR 



from Jer. ix. 17, 18. « Call 
for the mourning women, that 
they may come, and send for 
cunning women, that they 
may come ) and let them 
make haste, and take up a 
wailing for us, that our eyes 
may run down with tears, 
and our eve-lids gush out 
with waters." We discover 
the practice also in the time 
of our Saviour 5 for these were 
the persons who laughed 
him to scorn, when about to 
raise the ruler's daughter. 
Matt. ix. 23, 24. 

MIRACLE, a wonder 3 an 
effect above any human skill 
to accomplish, performed in 
proof of some important truth. 
The divinity of our Saviour 
was proved by the miracles 
he performed. They were 
such as could be wrought 
only by the power of God, 
and had for their object to 
confirm a doctrine becoming 
the glorious attributes of 
God, and the accomplish- 
ment of prophecies concern- 
ing the Messiah, whose com- 
ing, it was foretold, should be 
with miraculous healing bene- 
fits. John iii. 2, 9, 16. The 
form of true religion being 
acr.v established in the world, 
miracles have ceased, as be- 
ing no longer necessary. The 
existence and prevalence of 
Christianity, amid general 
opposition and persecution 
in all ages, with the fre- 
quent fulfilments of prophe- 
cy now taking place, are 
sufficient authentications.—- 



Modern popish miracles are 
a sad evidence of the chica- 
nery and corruption of Ro- 
manism. 

The following is the list of 
Christ's miracles, as usually 
given, but of course cannot 
embrace the whole, as " ma« 
ny" were performed which 
are not particularized. They 
are generally related in sev- 
eral Gospels, but there is room 
only to quote one. 

Water turned into 
wine John ii. 

Nobleman's son heal- 
ed John iv. 

Passing through the 
multitude Luke iv. 

Draught of fishes. .. . Luke v. 

Demoniac cured Mark i. 

Peter's wife's mother Mat. viii 

" Multitudes" healed Mat. viii 

Also throughout Gali- 
lee Mat. iv. 

A leper healed Mat. viii 

The paralytic Mat. ix. 

The impotent man.. John v . 

The withered hand.. Mat. xii 

" Many" healed Mat. xii. 

"A great multitude" 
healed Luke vi. 

Centurion's servant. Luke vii. 

The widow's son 
raised Luke vii. 

Miracles appealed to. Luke vii. 

" Many" healed Mat. ix. 

The tempest stilled . . Mat. viii. 

Legion of uevils cast 
out Mat. viii. 

The issue of blood.. Mat. ix. 

The daughter of Jai- 
rus Mat. ix. 

Two blind men Mat. ix. 

A dumb demoniac. . Mat. ix. 

Power given to the 
apostles Mat. x. 

c: Many" sick healed Mat. xiv 

Five thousand fed . . . Mat. xiv 

He walks on the sea. Mat. xiv 

As " many as touch- 
ed" healed Mat. xiv 



MIT 



156 



MOL 



Syrophenician wo- 
man... Mat. xv. 

Deaf and dumb man. Mark vii. 

" Multitudes" healed Mat. xv. 

Four thousand fed... Mark viii. 

A blind man cured.. Mark viii. 

The transfiguration.. Mark ix. 

Deaf and dumb de- 
moniac Luke ix. 

A fish brings money. Mat. xvii. 

The man blind from 

birth John ix. 

Infirm woman restor- 
ed Luke xiii. 

The dropsy healed... Luke xiv. 

Ten lepers cleansed. Luke xvii. 

Lazarus raised John xi. 

Blind Bartimeus Mat. xx. 

" Many" blind and 
lame Mat. xxi. 

The barren fig-tree.. Mat. xxi. 

The ear of Malchus. Lukexxii. 

Draught of fishes.... John xxi. 

MIRROR. The oldest mir- 
rors were made of metal. It 
was from such, contributed by 
the women, that the brazen la- 
ver was made. Ex. xxxviii. 8. 
The word in that passage is 
very improperly translated 
"looking-glasses." The art of 
making glass was then un- 
known. See Glass. On the 
discovery of America, the 
Mexicans were found to pos- 
sess mirrors made of black 
vitrified lava, highly polished. 
The North Americans were 
found with mirrors of copper 
End silver. 

MISH'NA. See Tradi- 
tion. 

MITE, the smallest Jewish 
coin, equal to about one sixth 
or one eighth of our cent. 

MITYLE'NE, the capital 
of Lesbos, 1 an island of the 
Grecian Archipelago, was a 
arge and beautiful city It ; 



was famous as the birth-place 
of Alcceus, the poet, Sapphe, 
the poetess, Theophanes, the 
historian, Pittacus, the philos- 
opher, and Diophanes, the or- 
ator. On the same island 
were born Theophrastus , the 
sage, and Potamon, the rhet 
orician. It is now called 
Castro, and sometimes Meti~ 
Lin. Acts xx. 14. 

MIXTURE, a compound. 
God's wrath being poured out 
without mixture, means it 
should be most severe and un- 
mitigated. Rev. xiv. 10. 

MIZ'PAH, literally a pil- 
lar ; a city 18 miles northward 
of Jerusalem. Jud. xx. 1. 1 
Sam. vii. 5, 6. 

MOAB, (1.) The son of 
Lot, was born about the same 
time as Isaac, in A. M. 2108. 
(2.) The land called by his 
name, eastward of the Dead 
Sea, and about the river Ar- 
non. The present name of 
this country is El-Rabba. 

MOLE. In that passage, 
Isa. ii. 20, where it is proph- 
esied that idols shall be cast 
to the moles and the bats, it 
seems probable that the two 
words should be read as one, 
which is the case in three of 
Dr. Kennicott's manuscripts. 
The word thus joined means 
a cave, or subterranean vault. 
The Burman missionaries 
have found caverns full of 
idols. See a " Tour among 
the Karens/' published by 
the Massachusetts Sab- 
bath School Union. 

In Lev. xi. 30, where th« 



MON 



157 



MON 



word mole occurs, the chame- 
leon is meant, as Bochart and 
others have fully shown It 
is a species of lizard, whose 
shape may be sufficiently 
learned by the following cut. 




MOLOCH, an idol of the 
Ammonites ; called also Ash- 
toreth, and Malcom or Milcom. 
Solomon built a temple to 
this deity, and the Israelites 
seemed more easily to slide 
into the idolatry of this god 
than any other. Lev. xviii. 
21. 1 Kings xi. See Ash- 
toreth, and Baal. 

MONEY, in ancient times, 
was dealt out by weight, 
and still is in Turkey, Syria 
and Egypt 5 coins themselves 
being generally weighed by 
the merchant. Gen. xxiii. 9 
—16. Job vi. 2. Zech. xi. 
12. The Persians began to 
use coined money about the 
time of Darius Hystaspes. 
The Greeks had no coin be- 
fore the days of Alexander ; 
nor the Egyptians, before the 
Ptolemies 5 nor the Hebrews, 
till the government of Judas 
14 



Maccabeus, to whom Antl 
ochus Sidetes, king of Syria, 
granted the privilege of coin- 
ing his own money in Judea. 
The coin commonly called " a 
piece of money/' was prob- 
ably a shekel, or the 
Greek stater, which 
was of the value of 
fifty cents. Matt. xvii. 
27. A pound was a- 
bout equal to sixty 
shekels. A penny was 
one fourth of a stater 
or shekel, equal to 
twelve cents of our 
money. A farthing 
was the fortieth part 
of a penny, or about 
the third of our cent. 
Matt. v. 26. A mite was half 
a farthing. Mark xii. 42. It 
is thought there was also a 
farthing equal to one tenth of 
a Roman penny. Instead of 
inserting uncertain tables of 
coins, the best practicable 
elucidation of such as are 
mentioned in the Bible, is 
given under each word of the 
kind as it occurs. 
MONEY CHANGERS 
were such as, for profit, ex- 
changed foreign coins, or 
gave smaller pieces of money 
for larger, or larger for small- 
er, to accommodate such as 
came to worship at Jerusa- 
lem. As all Jews were oblig- 
ed to contribute for the sup- 
port of the temple, and to 
pay in Jewish money, their 
traffic was profitable. Neh. x. 
32. They seem not to have 
been strictly justin their deal- 



MOO 



158 



MOR 



ings, and the place they chose 
for their business was improp- 
er. Jesus twice drove them 
from the temple. John ii. 14, 
15. Matt. xxi. 12. 

MONTH, a space of time, 
which, if measured by the 
moon, (whence its name,) is 
called lunar ; and if by the 
sun, is called solar. See 
Year. When we speak of 
Jewish months as correspond- 
ing to ours, some allowance 
must be made 5 for theirs 
were lunar, and ours are so- 
lar, which are not exactly 
alike. The Hebrew months 
commonly answer to two of 
our months, and take part of 
both. In the following table 
the months are numbered as 
they stood both in the civil 
and sacred years :— 



S (g 



1. 


7. Tizri, or 


Sept. 


2. 


8. Marchesvan, 


October. 


3. 


9. Chisleu, 


Nov. 


4. 


10. Tebet, 


Dec. 


5. 


11. Shebat, 


January. 


6. 


12 Adar, 


Feb. 


7. 


1 Abib, or Nisan 


, March. 


8 


2. Jair, or Zif, 


April. 


9 


3. Sivan, 


May. 


10. 


4. Thammus, 


June. 


11. 


5. Ab, 


July. 


12. 


6. Elul, 


August. 



MOON, a secondary plan- 
tt, always attendant on our 
^arth. The moon was form- 
ed to give light in, and rule 
the night, and to distinguish 
times and seasons. Gen. i. 
14.' She seems to have a 



mighty influence on the ebb- 
ing and flowing of the sea 
and was the great regulatof 
of the Jewish feasts. The 
heathens have generally 
worshipped the moon, under 
the names of Queen of heav- 
en, Venus, Urania, Succoth- 
benoth, Ashtaroth, Diana 
Hecate, or perhaps Meni, &c. 
Job xxxi. 26, 27. Deut. iv. 
19 5 xvii. 3. The Orientals 
regulate their journeys by 
the moon, and set off soon af- 
ter her change. 

MORDECAI, the son of 
Jair, grandson of Kish, and 
descendant of the family of 
Saul, was carried to Babylon 
with Jehoiachin, king of Ju- 
dah, when he was very 
young. He rose to a seat at 
the king's gate 5 that is, to 
be one of the great men of 
the kingdom. Ruth iv. 1, 
Est. ii. 19, and v. 9. 

MORI AH, a hill adjacent 
to Jerusalem, on the north- 
east. Here Abraham offered 
his son. Gen. xxii. When 
Solomon built the temple on 
it, it became included in the 
city. 2 Chron. iii. 1. 

MORTAR. (1.) Cement 
used in building. Gen. xi. 3. 
(2.) A strong vessel, in which 
grain is beaten or brayed. The 
proverb of " braying a fool in 
a mortar" may be understood 
from a passage in Knolles' 
history of the Turks. Speak- 
ing of some criminals, he 
says, " some were impaled, 
and some were pounded or 
beaten to pieces, in great mor- 



1 



MOT 



159 



MOU 



tars of iron, wherein they 
usually pound their rice." 
Prov. xxvit. 

MOTE ; a speck, or splin- 
ter j any very small thing. 
A person greatly under the 
dominion of any particular 
sin, reproving another who 
is less so. is compared by our 
Saviour to a man's attempt- 
ing to pull a mote out of his 
friend's eye, while a beam is 
in his own. Matt. vii. 3. 

MOTH, a very small, frail 
insect, found most frequently 
in garments which lay long 
unused. Insects which fly 
are divided by naturalists in- 
to diurnal and nocturnal, or 
butterflies and moths. By 
far the greatest number be- 
long to the latter class, of 
which some idea may be gain- 
ed from the variety which as- 
semble round a light in sum- 
mer. The kind which pro- 
duces the injury to woollens is 
the tinea argentea, a small 
white miller, seen in the 
spring, flying about in book 
or fur stores, &c. It lays its 
eggs where the worm, which is 
of a shining silvery color, may, 
when hatched, find food till 
changed into a winged insect, 
like the parent. The allusions 
to this creature in sacred 
Scripture are important, 
though not numerous. It is 
said, Job iv. 19, that man is 
14 crushed before the moth ;" 
that is, is overcome by the 
smallest enemies, and secretly 
and imperceptibly wastes 
away, as doth a garment. Isa. 



1. 9. When the Lord meant 
to destroy Ephraim, but not 
suddenly, he says, " I will be 
as a moth unto Ephraim. ;; 
The moth forms her cell in 
the cloth, and is, therefore, 
destroying her abode gradu- 
ally, till at last both are re- 
duced to nothing. Such is 
the prosperity of a wicked 
man j " he buildeth his house 
as a moth." He lives only 
to adjust his nest, and revel 
in his plenty ; but both he and 
his shall be destroyed. Job 
xxii. 18. 

MOTHER, the female pa- 
rent. Being u without father 
and without mother " Heb. vii. 
3, means that the parents of 
Melchisedek are not entered 
in the genealogies which the 
Jews so sedulously kept. 

MOUNTAIN. Judeamay 
be called a mountainous coun- 
try. The principal mountains 
mentioned in Scripture, are 
Seir, Horeb, Sinai, Hor, Gil- 
boa, Nebo, Tabor, Engedi, Le- 
banon, Ebal, Amalek, Geri- 
zim, Gilead, Moriah, Paran, 
Ganash, Olivet, Pisgah, Her 
mon, and Carmel. 

MOURNING is expressed 
with great vehemence in Ori- 
ental countries. The Jews, 
from their earliest period, 
made great lamentations for 
the dead. Gen. 1. 7 — 14. 
Tearing the hair, rending 
the clothes, /which was pro- 
hibited to the high priest,) 
and uttering piercing ciies, 
going barefoot, and striking 
the breast, wearing sack- 



MOU 



160 



MUL 



cloth, sprinkling- dust on the 
head, and fasting", were com- 
mon modes of expressing 
grief. It seems to have been 
customary among them to 
hire mourners, who super- 
intended the lamentations, 
and who, in funeral odes, mel- 
ancholy songs, and dolorous 
ejaculations, deplored the 
sorrows of the bereft, cele- 
brated the virtues of the de- 
ceased, and excited the sym- 
pathy of spectators. Jer. ix. 
17, 18. Amos v. 16. Matt. 
ix. 23. It would seem that a 
collection of such of these 
as were made by prophets, 
&c. for great men, was pre- 
served among the state 
archives. 2 Chr. xxxv. 25. 
See those which David com- 
posed for Saul and Jonathan, 
Abner and Absalom. That 
of Jeremiah, referred to in the 
passage just quoted, is not 
nowextant. SeeMiNSTREL. 

MOUSE, a very small 
quadruped, but very injuri- 
ous. Some are peculiar to 
fields and gardens, never ap- 
proaching houses j and some 
live in houses only. In East- 
ern countries, the field mouse 
sometimes ravages whole 
fields, and even districts, 
which was one of the plagues 
endured by the Philistines 
for detaining the ark of God, 
and the reason why Jive 
golden mice were sent back 
with it. 1 Sam. vi. 4, 5. In 
the 12th century, Palestine 
was, for four successive 
years, so overrun with mice 



as to cause a famine. Some 
eminent authors consider 
that our common mouse is 
not mentioned in Scripture, 
and that the word so render 
ed, 1 Sam. vi. 5, Isa. lxvi. 
17, means the jerboa, or 
mountain rat, of Arabia, 
Palestine, &c. Mice are 
amazingly prolific ; and were 
not the increase kept down 
by their being the chosen food 
of owls, hawks, snakes, wea- 
sels, cats, &c. they would 
prove a continual scourge. 
See Coney. 

MUFFLERS, masks or 
thick vails, worn by women, 
concealing all the face except 
the eyes. Isa. iii. 19. 

MULBERRY. Whether 
this is the tree denoted by 
the original term, is doubtful, 
and cannot be settled. The 
word is baca, and is so given 
in Ps. lxxxiv. 7. A plant is 
still common in Arabia called 
baca by the natives. 

MULE, an animal of 
mixed breed, between a 
horse and an ass. We know 
of the existence of mules so 
long ago as the time of Ho- 
mer 5 and though the Jews 
were forbidden to have any 
mixed race of animals, yet 
they were employed in the 
Holy Land long before the 
time of David. It is re- 
markably sure-footed, pa- 
tient, hardy, obstinate, swift, 
and strong j and lives to 
twice the age of a horse. 
They are little used in New 
England, but are very com 



MUS 



161 



MUS 



mon in the Southern States. 
Still more use is made of 
them in South America, 
France, Spain, and especially 
in mountainous regions, as the 
Alps, Pyrenees, &c. 

MUNITION, a fort; a 
secure place. Isa. xxxiii. 16. 
The word is now chiefly used 
for materials for war. 

MURRAIN, a disease 
which smote the cattle of 
the Egyptians, and is rapid 
and destructive in its prog- 
ress. As, in Europe, epidemic 
distempers in cattle have been 
known to advance over a 
country at the rate of a 
certain number of miles in a 
day, they have been supposed 
to bo caused by flying- insects. 

MUSIC is of very ancient 
origin. Jubal, a descendant 
of Cain, long before the 
flood, taught men to play on 
the harp and organ. Laban 
complained that Jacob de- 
prived him of an opportunity 
of sending off his daughters 
with music. Gen. iv. 21. 
xxxi. 27. The ancient He- 
Drews had a knowledge of 
music : when they had passed 
the Red Sea, both men and 
women sung their respective 
hymns to the praise of their 
miraculous Deliverer. Ex. 
xv. Silver trumpets were 
divinely ordered to be made 
for sounding over their sac- 
rifices, especially at solemn 
feasts. Num. x. David was 
an excellent musician, and 
had plenty of singing men 
and singing women in his 
14 * 



court. 1 Sam. xvi. Solomon 
had them, perhaps, in far 
greater number. Eccl. ii. 8. 
In the time of Jeroboam, the 
son of Joash, the Israelites 
valued themselves upon in- 
venting new musical instru- 
ments. Amos vi. 5. At his 
idolatrous festival, Nebuchad- 
nezzar had a large concert of 
music ; and music was u.e 
ordinary recreation of the 
Midian king. Dan. iii. 5, 15. 
David composed a variety of 
Psalms, and caused his skil 
ful players to set them to mu- 
sic, as appears by their in 
scriptions to Jeduthun, Asaph, 
&c. the sons of Korah. 1 Chr. 
xv. 16. As the Levites were 
eased of a great part of their 
charge, by the tabernacle and 
ark being fixed in a place, 
David had great numbers of 
them devote themselves to 
music, and distributed 4000 
sacred singers into 24 classes, 
who should serve at the tem- 
ple in their turns. The three 
chief musicians were Asaph, 
Heman, and Jeduthun. The 
four sons of Asaph, six of Je- 
duthun, and fourteen of He- 
man, constituted the chiefs 
of these 24 classes. Their 
NEGiNOTH, or stringed in- 
struments, were the psaltery 
and harp, to which may, per- 
haps, be added the shemineth, 
sJiushan, or shushanim, and 
the alamoth, the dulcimer and 
sackbut ; and the nehiloth, 
or wind-instruments, were 
the organ, cornet, ftuU, 'pipe, 
and trumpet. They had also 



MYR 



162 



MYS 



timbrels, cymbals, and bells. 
But, as to many of these in- 
struments, our best informa- 
tion affords us no certain 
knowledge of their particular 
forms. See Harp. 

MUSTARD ; a plant, the 
seed of which is very small, 
but which, in some latitudes, 
becomes arboreous, and ac- 
quires a great size, so as to 
be truly the " greatest among 
herbs." Mention is made 
in the Talmud of enormous 
mustard plants, into one of 
which the owner climbed, as 
into a fig-tree ; and another 
was so large as to cover a tent. 
That mentioned in Matt. xiii. 
31, is called by Linnaeus si- 
napi eurocoides. Its branches 
are real wood, as appears 
from a specimen in the col- 
lection of the late Sir Joseph 
Banks. 

MYRRH, a gum issuing 
from a tree of the same 
name, common in Arabia, 
Egypt, . and Abyssinia. 
Sometimes it issues sponta- 
neously, but is chiefly ob- 
tained by means of incisions 
which are made twice a 
year, the gum being received 
on mats spread below. It 
comes to Europe in loose 
grains, somewhat like gum- 
arabic. The ancients used 
it as a perfume, and for em- 
balming the dead. It is very 
bitter, whence it is called 
gall ; and, being supposed to 
have the property, like opi- 
um, of mitigating the sense of 
pain, it was anciently admin- 



istered to criminals to allevi* 
ate their anguish. Hence 
some one benevolently offered 
it to Christ 3 but he declined 
such relief. Mark xv. 23. 

MYRTLE, a beautiful 
shrub, very common in the 
East. The blossoms are per- 
fectly white, and intensely 
fragrant. In this unconge- 
nial climate, its size is very 
diminutive 3 but in the Le- 
vant, it attains the height of 
eight or ten feet. The church 
is compared to the myrtle. 
Isa. Iv. 13. 

MYS'IA, the north-west- 
ern province of Asia Minor, 
on the JEgean Sea. Acts xvi. 
7, 8. Cicero, in his Orations, 
calls the people a despicable 
race. It is the place called in 
classic writers ^olis. 

MYSTERY, a secret; 
something which, at present, 
we do not fully understand. 
Thus the doctrines of a Trin- 
ity, the Incarnation, the 
Union which exists between 
Christ and his people, <fcc. 
are mijsteries. Many things 
which were mysteries an- 
ciently, are made known by* 
Christ and his apostles 5 and 
many things in the Bible 
which are mysteries to the 
irreligious, or to feeble Chris- 
tians, are understood by such 
as are eminently good and 
studious. A mystery, there- 
fore, in Scripture, does not 
mean what cannot be, but what 
is not understood. Pagan 
worship has its (( mysteries 
of iniquity ;" shameful crimes 



NAM 



163 



N AZ 



committed by those who were 
(\\\[y initiated. 



N. 

NAHUM, the seventh of 
the minor prophets, is 
thought to have lived at the 
lime Sennacherib invaded 
Jndah. 

The Book of Nahum is 
a poem ; and is thought by 
critics to be one of the most 
finished and sublime, extant 
in any language. 

NAIL, a term by which two 
different Hebrew words are 
rendered in our translation j 
one of which (yathed) seems 
to mean a common nail or 
tent pin, Isa. xxii. 23, and 
the other (mismer) an orna- 
mental or large-headed nail. 
1 Chr. xxii. 3. Chardin 
says, that, in the East, nails 
are not driven into walls with 
a hammer j stone and mortar 
being too hard, and the clay 
of common houses too friable j 
but they are fixed in the wall 
when built, which explains 
Isa. xxii. 23. 

NAKED, uncovered, ex- 
posed. Gen. ii. 25. This 
word is often used, in a 
modified sense, to describe a 
person only partly clothed. 
Mic. i. 3. John xxi. 7. It is 
also used figuratively, in va- 
rious senses. Job xxvi. G, 
&c. 

NAME, when applied to 



God, often means his nature 
and attributes, that is, God 
himself. Ps. xx. i. Prov. xviii. 
10. To take God's name in 
vain, is to take a false oath, or 
to mingle his name uselessly 
in our discourse. Ex. xx. 7. 

NA'OMI and her husband 
Elimelech retired to the land 
of Moab, because of a famine 
in Canaan ; where their two 
sons, Mahlon and Chilion, 
married Orpah and Ruth. 
After about ten years, Elime- 
lech and his sons died with- 
out leaving any children. 
The return of Naomi to her 
country, and her subsequent 
history, are narrated with 
great beauty and instructive 
ness in the book of Ruth. 

NARD. See Spikenard. 

NATHANIEL. See Bar- 
tholomew. 

NATURE, (1.) The natu- 
ral order of things, establish 
ed in the world. (2.) The ac- 
tual state of any thing, or 
that which makes it what it 
is. (3.) That principle of rea- 
son, or natural light in the 
mind of man, which is capa- 
ble of great improvement, 
but requires the grace of God 
to direct it to its proper end. 
Rom. ii. 14. 1 Cor. xi. 14. 

NAZARETH, a small city 
of Galilee, about 7.') miles 
north of Jerusalem, situated 
on the side of a hill, and 
overlooking a superb and 
spacious valley formed by 
surrounding mountains. It 
was over a precipice on this 
side, (described by Jowett as 



NEB 



164 



NEB 



50 feet high,) that the people 
sought to throw our Saviour. 
It was noted for wickedness. 
Mark i. 9. John i. 46. Here 
our Saviour labored the 
most part of the thirty years 
of his private life ; but their 
contempt of his ministry, and 
attempt to murder him, occa- 
sioned his residing there but 
little afterwards, and working 
out few miracles among them. 
Luke iv. 16—29. It has con- 
tinued to this day to be a place 
of some note, and contained 
at the time of Mr. Jowett's 
researches about 3000 souls. 
Among the population are 
Greeks, Catholics, Greek 
Catholics, and Maronites. 
The precipice over which the 
people attempted to throw our 
Saviour is still conspicuous. 
Luke iv. 29. 

NAZARITE, or Naza- 
rene, a Jew who made a 
vow to observe uncommon 
devotion either for a given pe- 
riod or for life. Numb. vi. 

Jesus Christ was in fact, 
what these were in profession, 
consecrated to God, and hence 
is called a Nazarene. That 
Christ should be thus conse- 
crated, is declared by various 
prophets, though he is not 
mentioned in the Old Testa- 
ment under that express title. 
Matt. ii. 23. 

NEAP'OLIS, a seaport 
in Macedonia, Acts xvi. 11, 
the same which is now called 
Napoli. See Shechem. 

NEBO, a city 8 miles 
south of Heshbon. Numb. 



xxxii. 38. Isa. xv. 2. It is 

now called Abarim. 

NEBO, a mountain wherti 
Moses died, stood in the lot of 
Reuben. Deut. xxxiv. 1. 

NE'BO, an idol, thought 
by some to be the same as 
Dagon. Isa. xlvi. 1. As, how- 
ever, this name is found in the 
composition of many ChaMee 
words, such as Nebuchadnez- 
zar, Nabonassar , Nabopolas- 
sar, &c, it was probably a 
different god. 

NEBUCHADNEZZAR, 
Nebuchadrezzar, or Nabo- 
polassar, the most famed 
king of Babylon. His father, 
Nabopolasser, having raised 
an immense army to quell a 
revolt of the Syrians, Phoeni- 
cians, &c. he was appointed 
to its command, and with it 
not only subdued those prov- 
inces, but overran Canaan, 
Moab, Ammon, Assyria. 
Egypt, &c. and made them 
tributary. He carried tc 
Babylon, among other prin- 
ces of Judah, Daniel, Ha- 
naniah, Misbael, and Azari- 
ah ; whom he called Belte- 
shazzar, Shadrach, Meshach, 
and Abednego. These, and 
other young captives, he caus- 
ed to be trained up in all 
the learning of the Chaldeans, 
that they might serve in the 
court. 2 Kings xxiv. Dan. i. 
He twice afterward invaded 
and chastised Judea. 2 Chr 
xxxvi. Ez. xxv. xxxv. 

About a. M. 3399, his 
father died, and he became 
king of Babylon. In the 



NEH 



165 



NEI 



second year of his reign, he 
had a surprising- dream, but 
entirely forgot it. All the 
diviners being applied to in 
vain, Daniel declared to him 
both the dream and the in- 
terpretation. He was so as- 
tonished, and yet so convinc- 
ed of the truth, that he fell on 
his face before Daniel, and 
acknowledged his God to be 
the God of gods and Lord of 
kings. He made Daniel 
chief of the wise men, and 
governor of the province of 
Babylon ; and made Sha- 
drach, Meshach, and Abed- 
nego, subordinate governors 
in the same place. Dan. ii. 

NE'CHO, a famous king of 
Egypt, mentioned not only in 
Scripture, but by Herodotus. 
He conquered Judea in the 
days of Josiah. 

NECROMANCER, a con- 
jurer ; one who pretended to 
reveal secrets by intercourse 
with the dead, Deut. xviii. 
11. 

NEG'INOTH, stringed in- 
struments. This title to some 
of the psalms implies a sort 
of direction to the chief per 
former on stringed instru 
ments. 

NEHEMIAH, the son of 
Hachaliah, was, perhaps, of 
the royal family of David. 
His being cup-bearer in the 
Persian court, and his suc- 
ceeding Zerubbabel in the 
government of the Jews, tend 
to confirm this opinion. Fur- 
Dished with royal letters of 



authority, he went to Jerusa- 
lem, and spent 12 years in la- 
boring for its restoration. 
He afterwards returned again 
to the Holy City, and proba- 
bly died there. He wrote the 
book rn the Old Testament 
which bears his name. Ne- 
hemiah was not a prophet, but 
a historian j and his narrative 
begins about 12 years after 
that of Ezra closes. In hi* 
days flourished the prophet 
Malachi j and Herodotus 
and Thucydides, the two 
most ancient profane histori- 
ans whose works are extant $ 
and Plato the philosopher. 

NE'HILOTH, a word 
found at the beginning of Ps. 
v. which means wind-instru- 
ments, and implies that it is 
addressed to the superintend- 
ent of the performers on 
flutes in the sanctuary. 

NEHUSH'TAN, a con- 
temptuous name given by 
good Hezekiah to the brazen 
serpent. When it jecame 
an object of idolatrous wor- 
ship, he caused it to be de- 
stroyed, and called it Nehush- 
tan, that is, a little brass ser- 
pent ! 2 Kings xviii. 4. 

NEIGHBOR, (1.) One 
who lives near another. (2.) 
Every man to whom we have 
an opportunity of doing good. 
Matt. xxii. 39. (3.) One who 
pities and relieves another in 
distress. Luke x. 36. (4.) 
One who stands in need of 
help. Prov. iii. 28. Our Sa- 
viour reproved the Pharisees 



NEW 



166 



NIC 



for using the word in a re- 
stricted sense, and informed 
them that all men were their 
neighbors, and that their 
charity should be exercised 
even to their enemies. Matt. 
v. 43, 44. Luke x. 29—37. 

NER'GAL, an idol men- 
tioned 2 Kings xvii. 30, which 
Calmet agrees with the Rab- 
bins in supposing was worship- 
ped under the form of a cock. 

NETH'INIMS, persons 
who waited on the Lord's 
house, performing inferior 
offices, under the direction of 
the Levites. Ezra ii. 58, 
and viii. 20. They are sup- 
posed to be the descendants 
of the Gibeonites, who de- 
ceived the Hebrew princes, 
and were devoted to labori- 
ous occupations. Josh. ix. 
They had a particular place 
in Jerusalem where they 
dwelt, called Ophel. Neh. 
iii. 26. Ezra viii. 17—20. 

NETOPHA, the same as 
Netophatki, a city of Judah 
near Bethlehem. 

NETTLES, in Job xxx. 7, 
cannot mean our nettles, be- 
cause persons took shelter un- 
der it. It probably means a 
thorny thicket, such as is com- 
mon in India. 

NEW TESTAMENT, 
the sacred book of Chris- 
tians, though not to the ex- 
clusion of the Old Testament. 
The books which compose the 
New Testament are supposed 
to have been written in the 
following order : — 



A. D. 

38. The Gospel of Matthew,writ* 
ten in Judea. 

52. 1st and 2d Tliess. written 
from Corinth. 

" Galatians, written from Cor- 
inth or Macedonia. 

56. 1st Corinth, from Ephesus 

57. 2d Corinth, from Macedonia. 

58. Romans, written from Cor- 

inth. 

61. Ephesians, written from 

Rome. 
" James, written at Jerusalem. 

62. Philippians, Colossians and 

Philemon, from Rome. 

63. The Gospel of Luke, written 

in Greece. 
" Hebrews, written from 
Rome. 

64. The Acts of the Apostles, 

written in Greece. 

" 1st Timothy and Titus, writ- 
ten in Macedonia. 

" 1st Peter, written from Bab- 
ylon. 
65 The Gospel of Mark, writ- 
ten from Rome. 

" 2d Timothy, written from 
Rome. 

" 2d Peter, written from Baby- 
lon. 

" Jude, where written, un- 
known. 
90. 1st John, written from Pat- ! 
mos. 

" 2d and 3d John, from Eph-y 
esus. 

96. John, at Ephesus, writes that 

book of Revelation. 

97. John writes his Gospel ail 

the same place. |> 

NIB'HAZ, an idol of the 
Hivites, worshipped in the 
form of a dog. 2 Kings xvii. 31. 

NICOLATTANS. It is 
not known whether these were 
a sect, or only certain false 
and seducing teachers ; nor is 
it known from whom the name 
is derived. The Greek name 
for Nicolas corresponds with 



N IL 



167 



NIM 



the Hebrew for Balaam. 
They are supposed to have 
denied the real human nature 
of Christ, and of course the 
reality of his sufferings. They 
seem to have been singularly 
profligate and impure. Rev. 
ti. 6. It is thought they are 
alluded to in 2 Pet. ii. and 
Jude7— 19. 

NICOP'OLIS, the name 
of several ancient cities. That 
to which Paul refers, Titus iii. 
12, is probably in Thrace, on 
the River Nestus, near the 
eastern border of Macedonia. 
NIGHT, (1.) The time 
between evening and morning. 
(2.) The time of heathenish 
ignorance and profaneness. 
• Rom. xiii. 12. (3.) Adversity. 
Isa. xxi. 12. (4.) Death, 
wherein we are laid asleep. 
.John ix. 4. (5.) The season 
in which any thing comes sud- 
denly and unexpectedly upon 
us. 1 Thess. v. 2. Isa. xv. 
Uj. Luke xii. 20. t (6.) The 
vhole time of our life on 
arth, during which we are 
V'ark, by reason of ignorance, 
and are exposed to danger and 
uinful stumbling. Rom. xiii. 12. 
| NIGHT-HAWK, the strix 
orientalis, a voracious bird of 
the size of the common owl, 
so bold and daring in Syria, 
ias to attack even children if 
jexposed at night, occurs 
Lev. xi. 16. Deut. xiv. 15, only. 
' NILE. This river is not 
xpressly named in Scripture, 
»ut is referred to in the ac- 
ount of the plagues of Egypt. 
It rises in Ethiopia. Its course 



is at first tortuous, but after- 
wards nearly north. It is not 
the same as the river of E- 
gypt. See Egypt. Its length 
is 2000 miles. Its overflow 
occurs in August, by reason 
of the rainy season in the 
country of its sources. The 
water then extends in the flat, 
or northern part of Egypt, 
about 20 miles on each side 
of the river. When the wa- 
ters are nearly subsided, the 
inhabitants sow their seed, 
which settles into the mud, and 
without further trouble pro- 
duces a crop, which explains 
Ecc. xi. 1, " Cast thy bread 
upon the waters,' 7 &c. Arti- 
ficial lakes and cisterns are 
made to retain the water. It 
is said that 200,000 oxen are 
employed in raising the water 
from these and from the river 
in the dry season. The river 
water is discolored, but very 
wholesome. So dependent 
were the Egyptians on their 
river, that they paid it sacred 
honors, and worshipped its 
reptiles and plants. Most 
striking therefore was the pun- 
ishment which Jehovah sent 
them through the river, when 
he turned its waters into blood, 
and afterwards caused it to 
bring forth myriads of frogs. 
Ex. vii. 8. 

NIMRAH, a city in the 
canton of Gad. Numb, xxxii. 
3,36. 

NIMRIM, a city erst of 
Jordan. Isa. xv. 6. It is 
thought to be the same which 
St. Jerome calls Nemra. 



NIN 



168 



NIN 



NIM ROD, a hunter and 
monarch of vast ambition and 
success. He was born just 
before the commencement of 
the tower of Babel. When he 
rose to be king, he repeopled 
Babel, which had been deso- 
late since the confusion of 
tongues, but did not dare to 
attempt the finishing of the 
tower. The Scriptures inform 
us he became " mighty upon 
earth 5" but the extent of his 
conquests is not known. 

NINEVEH, a city of As- 
syria, called also Ninus. It 
was the capital of that empire 
till Esarhaddon conquered 
Babylon, when that city shar- 
ed the royal presence, the 
court being sometimes at one 
place and sometimes at the 
other. It was founded by 
Ashur, the son of Shem, Gen. 
x. 11, and became one of the 
largest cities in the world. In 
the 29th year of the reign of 
Josiah, king of Judah, Nineveh 
was utterly destroyed by the 
Medes. It was afterwards par- 
tially rebuilt,but never became 
considerable, and was finally 
destroyed by the Saracens in 
the 7th century. It is now call- 
ed Mosul, and is only famous 
for being the residence of the 
patriarch of the Nestorians, 
of which sect are most of the 
Christians in those parts.* 

* The Nestorians are the follow- 
ers of Nestorius, Bhhop of Constan- 
tinople, who lived early in the 5th 
century. Their distinguishing ten- 
et is,that Christ possessed not only 
two natures, but two persons ; the 
one of which was divine, and the 



Mosul is on the west side of 
the Tigris, and was anciently 
only an appendage to the 
city, which itself stood on 
the east side, where ruins 
of vast extent have been seen 
by modern travellers. Ac- 
cording to Diodorus Siculus, 
the circumference of Nineveh 
was 60 miles. Jonah was 
three days in going round to 
proclaim its overthrow 5 20 
miles being as much as he 
could leisurely walk in a day. 
The destruction of Nineveh, 
above mentioned, fulfilled the 
following prophecies, to which 
the reader is referred. Jon. 
iii. Nah. ii. and iii. Zeph. 
ii. 13. It is often a matter of 
wonder how structures so 
vast as were many in Nine- 
veh, especially the walls, 
which were nearly 30 feet 
thick, could be so utterly 
thrown down, that the very 
situation of some of these an- 
cient citieys cannot now be 
clearly ascertained. The 
cause is partly explained when 
we remember that the cost 
and difficulty of obtaining 

other human. About A. D. 438, 
Pherozes,the Persian monarch, put 
this sect in possession of ecclesi- 
astical authority. They gradually 
spread into adjacent countries ; 
and their spiritual dominion i3 to 
this day very extensive, taking in 
a great part of Asia, and embrac- 
ing also part of Arabia, and the 
coast of Malabar. This sect has 
always refused to enter into the 
communion of the Romish church, 
and has carefully avoided a multi- 
tude of superstitious practices con* 
mon to other Eastern Christians 






NO 



169 



NUM 



materials for building in the 
East, have made it common, 
from time immemorial, to re- 
sort to deserted towns for ma- 
terials to erect new ones. 
Thus Seleucia was built with 
the ruins of Babylon, and Mo- 
sul from those of Nineveh. 

NIS'ROCH,agodofAssy- 
ria,\vorshipped under the form 
of an eagle. 2 Kings xix. 37. 

NITRE. This word, which 
occurs but twice in the Bible, 
does not mean what we now 
call nitre, or saltpetre, but is 
that native salt called na- 
trum, by naturalists. The 
natrum is an earthy alkaline 
salt, found in abundance on 
the surface of the Lake Natron 
in Egypt, in Sindy, an interior 
province of Asia, and many 
other places. It is in all re- 
spects the same as the Smyrna 
" soap earth." Solomon evi- 
dently means this substance, 
when he compares the effect of 
unseasonable mirth upon aman 
inaffliction to the action of vin- 
egar on nitre. Prov. xxv. 20. 
Vinegar has no effect upon 
what we call nitre, but upon 
this earthy alkali it produces 
violent effervescence. Being 
of a soapy nature, it was used 
to cleanse clothes and the 
skin 3 to which is the allusion 
in Jer. ii. 22. 

NO, an Egyptian city, which 
now does not exist. Vitringa 
considers it to be the same as 
Noph, which see. This, how- 
ever, is very improbable. The 
name of the city is properly 
No-Ammon, i. e. the seat of 
15 



the god Amnion, generally 
called simply No. Nah. iii. 
8. Ezek. xxx. 14—16. Mod- 
ern investigations have set- 
tled, beyond doubt, that this 
city was Thebes, the famous 
capital of Egypt, called also 
Diospolis by the Greeks, and 
the chief seat of the worship 
of Jupiter Ammon. Its ruins 
are the wonder and delight of 
all travellers. Jer. xlvi. 25. 

NOD, a land to which Cain 
withdrew after his fratricide. 
Gen. iv. 16. We have no 
means, at present, of knowing 
what country this was. Gen. 
iv. 16. 

NOPH, the ancient Mem- 
phis, near to which are the 
famous pyramids. It seems 
not improbable that these pyr- 
amids were built by the chil- 
dren of Israel, vvhile slaves 
to Pharaoh j but whether they 
were designed as places of 
worship or sepulchres for the 
dead, is uncertain. 

NOVICE, a new convert. 
Such a one is not to be put 
into the ministry. 1 Tim. iii. 6. 

NUMBERS, the fourth 
book of the Old Testament, 
so called from its containing 
an account of the numbering 
of the children of Israel. 
Chapters i. ii. and xxvi. It 
records the history of Israel 
for 38 years ; that is, from the 
beginning of the second month 
of the second year after their 
exodus from Egypt, to the be- 
ginning of the eleventh month 
of the fortieth year of their 
journeyings. Most of the 



OAT 



170 



OFF 



transactions which are men- 
tioned, took place in the second 
and the thirty-eighth years. 

NUTS, a word which oc- 
curs only Gen. xliii. 11, and 
is variously rendered. It is 
probably the fruit of the pista- 
chio tree. The size is about 
the same as the hazel nut. 



O. 



OAK, a tree of great stat- 
ure and durability. Abraham 
pitched his tent, and Joshua 
set up the tabernacle, beneath 
an oak. Josh. xxiv. 26. Its 
durability made the idolater 
select it as the substar ce of 
his god. Is. xliv. 14. The 
British Druids held it sacred. 
It is admirable timber for 
ships, and is now chiefly used 
for that purpose. 

OATH, a solemn act, where- 
in we swear by God, or call 
him to witness the truth of 
what we assert or promise, 
and to curse us in time and 
eternity, if we swear what is 
false or unknown to us, or if 
we do not perform what we 
engage. An oath should nev- 
er be taken but in matters of 
importance, nor sworn by the 
name of any but the true God, 
as it is an act of solemn wor- 
ship ; nor irreverently, without 
godly fear and awe of the 
Most High. Josh, xxiii. 7, 



James v. 12. Deut. vi. 13. 
Matt. v. 34, 35. Jer. v. 7. 
The multiplication of oaths, 
therefore-, in commerce, and 
common affairs, is a great sin. 
The irreverent and hurried 
manner in which they are too 
frequently administered, has a 
great tendency to increase 
perjury. 

The lawfulness of solemnly 
taking our oath to the truth, 
is certified by Scripture exam- 
ple, Matt, xx vi. 63, 64 ; Rom. 
i. 9 j 2 Cor. xi. 11, and 31; 
Ps.i.20; Heb. vi. 13, 17; and 
by intimation that this method 
may be resorted to for the set- 
tlement of strife, Heb. vi. 16. 
Few sins are so heinous as 
profane swearing. It has 
neither the force of bodily ap- 
petite, nor love of gain, for 
its excuse ; while it betrays the 
grossest contempt of God, and 
tends to destroy all certainty 
of testimony. Matt. v. 34. 

OBADIAH is thought to 
have lived about the time that 
Jerusalem was sacked b v Neb- 
uchadnezzar. He prophesied 
of the destruction of Edom, 
and the future prosperity of 
Zion. 

OBLATION, an offering 
where no life was destroyed. 
Oblations consisted of bread, 
fruit, meal,wine,oil, cakes, &x. 
appointed for this purpose. 
See Offering, and Sacri- 
fice. 

OFFEND, (1.) To com- 
mit sin. Acts xxv. 8. (2.) To 
cause to commit sin. " Who- 
so shall offend one of these 



OFF 



171 



OFF 



little ones/ 1 &c. Matt, xviii. 
6—9. 1 Cor. x. 32. (3.) To 
be scandalized or displeased. 
Matt. xv. 12. Thus the mean- 
ness of Christ's birth was a 
stone of stumbling and rock 
of offence. Isa. viii. 14. 1 
Cor. viii. 13. In this sense 
we are to understand Ps. 
cxix. 165, where it is said of 
those who love God's law, that 
l< nothing- shall offend them.' 7 
OFFERING, a sacrifice, 
any thing- offered or present- 
ed in worship. The Hebrews 
had several kinds of offerings, 
which were all intended to ex- 
hibit and enforce the great 
truths of religion. 

The Burnt-Offerings 
were presented to God, as the 
Maker, Preserver, and Lord 
of the universe, entitled to all 
adoration and honor. The 
11 whole burnt-offerings," as 
their name imports, were all 
burnt except the skin. They 
signified, that the whole man, 
in whose stead they were of- 
fered, was to be entirely de- 
voted to God, without re- 
serve \ that he himself had 
deserved to be utterly con- 
sumed j that the sufferings of 
the Messiah, as the sinner's 
Substitute, would be extreme- 
ly great ; and that all fleshly 
lusts, and selfishness of prin- 
ciple, are to be completely 
mortified. 

The Sin-Offering and 
theTRESPASS-OFFERiNG are 
described in Lev. iv. and v. ; 
but the exact difference be- 
tween the transgressions to 



which they have reference is 
very obscure. It seems pro* 
bable, that the sin-offering was 
for violation of prohibitory 
statutes ; and the trespass-of- 
fering was for neglect of im- 
perative statutes. It was not 
so entirely consumed by fire 
as the burnt-offering. (Com- 
pare Lev. i. 9, and ch. vii. 8, 
with ch. vi. 25, 26, and 29.) 
The victim was brougnt to the 
door of the tabernacle ; the 
offender put his hand upon its 
head, confessed his sins, and 
supplicated pardon, saying, 
U I beseech thee, O Lord ; I 
have sinned, 1 have trespass- 
ed, I have rebelled ;— but now 
I repent, and let this" (that 
is, his sacrifice) u be my ex- 
piation." The animal was 
then slain, and reconciliation 
enjoyed with God. It is thus 
we coufess our sins, in an 
humble dependence upon the 
atonement of Jesus Christ, 
and look for salvation through 
his precious blood. Restitu- 
tion, so often mentioned in 
Scripture, formed an indispen- 
sable part of the duty of him 
that presented these offerings. 
If he held his neighbor's prop- 
erty unjustly, he not only now 
restored it, but added a fifth 
part. Num. v. 5—8. Ex. 
xxii. 3—8. 

The Peace-Offerings 
and Thank-Offerings had 
respect to God, as reconciled 
to us, and as the Giver of all 
our possessions. They were 
free-will or voluntary obla- 
tions, either in return for bless- 



OFF 



172 



OLI 



ings received, or in supplica- 
tion for mercies desired. The 
blood, &c. of these victims 
was offered up by the priest, 
and the remainder returned to 
the worshipper, who added to 
it such other things as he 
chose, and made a feast, to 
which widows, orphans, slaves 
and Levites, were invited. 
Christ is our Peace-Offering ; 
and it is for him, and by 
him, that we render thanks- 
giving unto the Father. 

The Wave-Offerings 
were shaken or tossed to and 
fro, towards the several parts 
of the world, to denote God's 
universal dominion and the 
extent of the Redeemer's sac- 
rifice. Lev. viii. 

The Meat-Offering con- 
sisted of gifts of flour, incense, 
oil, spice, &c. The priest 
sprinkled part of the flour and 
all the incense upon the altar, 
and the rest belonged to him 
and the other priests. 

Drink-Offerings were 
not commonly offered alone, 
but accompanied other offer- 
ings 5 part of the wine, oil, &c. 
was poured on the altar, the 
rest was for the priest. 

" The law was a shadow 
of good things to come} but 
the body is of Christ." Col. 
ii. 17; and Heb. x. 1. Many 
of the Hebrews, it is proba- 
ble, placed a carnal depen- 
dence on ceremonial offerings, 
and did not entirely appreci- 
ate their symbolical meaning. 
But this error is decidedly 
condemned in many places. 



Ps. 1. 8—23. xl. 6, 9. Isa. i. 
11—20. Hos. vi. 6. Mic. vi. 
6—8, &c. 

OIL, or Ointment, is now 
extracted from the fat of fish- 
es, from flaxseed, and a mul- 
titude of other substances. 
Oil obtained from olives, that 
is, such as we now call sweet 
oil, was abundant in the Holy 
Land. Deut. xxxii. 13. Bread 
dipped in oil was reckoned a 
delicate repast. An infusion 
of some flowers made it fra- 
grant. Matt, xx vi. 7. Ps. 
xcii. 10. The Hebrews used 
olive oil in their meat-offer- 
ings, in their sacred lamps, 
and in their common use ; but 
there was a sacred oil com- 
pounded with cinnamon, cal- 
amus, cassia, and myrrh, 
which was used in the anoint- 
ing of the priests, the taber- 
nacle and furniture. None of it 
was to be applied to any other 
use ; nor was any to be made 
like it except for sacred uses. 

OLIVE, a tree very com- 
mon in Judea. It makes a 
fine appearance, having 
spreading branches like our 
apple tree, and remaining 
green in the winter. It flour- 
ishes about 200 years. There 
are two kinds, the wild and 
the cultivated ; the former 
being smaller and poorer than 
the latter. It is the chief re- 
source of Orientals for oil, an 
article they use in great abun- 
dance, both for food and oint- 
ment, as well as light. Its 
oil was considered good for 
wounds, bruises, &c. The 



O L 1 



173 



ONE 



fruit, which is about the size 
of a small plum, is very whole- 
some and nourishing'. 

Capt. Cook found that 
its green branches, carried in 
the hands, or stuck in the 
ground, were the emblems of 
peace, universally employed 
ami understood by the numer- 
ous aiul untutored inhabitants 
of the South Sea Islands. The 
origin of a custom thus re- 
ceived, and religiously ob- 
served, by nations dwelling 
on opposite sides of the globe, 
who never had the smallest 
intercourse with one another, 
must be sought for near the 
beginning" of time, when the 
inhabitants of our earth, form- 
ing but one family, attached 
the most pleasing recollec- 
tions to the bringing of an 
olive branch. Gen. viii. 11. 
A reference to the same sign 
of mercy to Noah, may be 
traced in the derivation of 
the Greek word e\aio$ f mercy, 
from c\aia, an olive. 

OL/IVET, or Mount of 
Olives, stood about G25 
paces east of Jerusalem, from 
which it was separated by the 
valley of Jehoshaphat and 
brook Kidron. From its sum- 
mit there is a tine view of Je- 
rusalem, of the Dead Sea, of 
the vast and irregular dell 
which leads to it, commencing 
at the valley of Jehoshaphat, 
and of the distant plains and 
mountains of Moab. This is 
the spot whence our Saviour 
ascended into heaven in sight 
of his apostles. 
15* 



OME'GA, the last letter 
of the Greek alphabet. See 
Alpha. 

O'MER, see Homer. 

ON, a city of Egypt, called 
Heliopolis by the Septuagint 
version, Gen. x!i. 45, and by 
Herodotus, who says the in- 
habitants were " the wisest of 
the Egyptians.' 7 The father- 
in-law of Joseph was high 
priest of On. This was the 
city of Moses, according to 
Berosus, and accounts for his 
being " learned in all the wis- 
dom of the Egyptians/ 7 Acts 
vii. 22. Heliopolis was the 
Greek translation of Beth- 
shemesh, u the house or city 
of the sun, 77 and is called 
(Jer. xliii. 13.) " Beth-shemesh 
in the land of Egypt/ 7 to dis- 
tinguish it from a place of the 
same name in Canaan. Josh, 
xix. 33. 

ONES'IMUS, a slave of 
Philemon, a wealthy Christian 
in Colosse. For some un- 
known reason, he absconded 
from his master. Coining to 
Rome, he was converted to 
Christianity by Paul 3 and be- 
ing a man of intelligence and 
respectability, as Oriental ser- 
vants often were, he proved 
very useful to Paul during his 
imprisonment. He then re- 
turned to his former situation, 
with Paul's Epistle to Phi- 
lemon ; which see. 

ONESIPH'ORUS was an 
Ephesian convert of some dis- 
tinction, who, being at Rome 
during Paul's imprisonment, 
openly befriended him, and 



OPH 



174 



ORD 



supplied his \vants 7 when many 
of his friends were afraid to do 
so. 2 Tim. i. 16, and iv. 19. 

ONION, a word occurring 
Numb. xi. 5, only. Those 
of Egypt greatly surpass any 
others in excellence. The fact 
that onions were eaten in Egypt 
during the bondage of Israel, 
may indicate that they had 
not then become so gross in 
idolatry, as to worship this 
plant, as was the case in the 
days of Juvenal, who sati- 
rizes the Egyptians for this 
superstition. 

ONO was in the tribe of 
Benjamin, 1 Chron. viii. 12. 

ON'YCHA, a fragrant 
gum, probably the bdellium, 
which is a gum, smooth and 
shining like a man's nail, 
which the Greeks call onyx, 
and is by some authors called 
" bdella onyx, 11 to distinguish 
it from other kinds. Some 
authors have followed Dios- 
corides, who considers onycha 
to be the produce of a shell 
fish, found in some lakes of 
India. But India was too 
distant for drugs to be im- 
ported thence into Judea ; and 
beside the original word means 
to " drop like a tear," to " dis- 
til," and must mean something 
that exudes. The word occurs 
in Ex. xxx. 34, only. 

O'NYX, a precious stone. 
What it was is very uncertain 5 
probably a variety of the 
agate, or the chalcedony. 

OPHIR, the son of Joktan. 
Whether he gave name to the 
country famous for gold, or 



where that country was, we 
can hardly determine. It is 
certain that its gold was re- 
nowned even in the time of 
Job, ch. xxii. 24 5 xxviii. 16 j 
and that from the time of 
David to the time of Jehosha- 
phat ; the Hebrews traded with 
it, and that Uzziah revived 
this trade when he made 
himself master of Elath, a 
noted port on the Red Sea. 
In Solomon's time, the He 
brew fleet took up three years 
in their voyage to Ophir, and 
brought home gold, apes, pea- 
cocks, spices, ivory, ebony, 
and almug-trees. 1 Kings ix. 
28 5 x. 11 5 xxii. 48. 2 Chr. 
ix. 10. 

OPPRESSION, unreason 
able imposition, whether on 
men's property, character, or 
conscience. Persecution of 
all kinds partakes of the na- 
ture of this sin. 

ORACLE, something de- 
livered by supernatural wis- 
dom. The " most holy place," 
in the temple, was called the 
oracle, because there the priest 
inquired of God. 1 Kings 
vi. 5 — 19. The Scriptures 
are the oracles of God, which 
Christians ought to consult at 
all times 5 especially in mat- 
ters of difficulty, and in the 
great affairs relating to their 
souls and another life. Heb. 
v. 12. Acts vii. 38. 

ORDINANCE, an ap 
pointed rite or observance. 
No religious ordinance is bind- 
ing, or even admissible, which 
is not of divine institution; 



OST 



175 



OUT 



nor can any so instituted be 
varied or modified by human 
caprice or judgment. Baptism 
and the Lord's Supper are 
the only proper ordinances of 
Christianity. 

ORGAN, a wind-instrument 
of music, invented by Jubal, 
the sixth in descent from Cain; 
but JubaPs was probably very 
different from ours, which are 
composed of various kinds of 
pipes, some of them 30 or 40 
feet long. The present kind 
we do not know to be more 
than 800 years old. Gen. iv. 
21. Ps. cl. 4. 

ORI'ON, a constellation 
consisting of nearly 80 stars, 
which appears to us in Novem- 
ber. Job xxxviii. 31. 

0'SEE,one of the prophets, 
called in the Old Testament 
Hosea. Rom. ix. 25. 

OSPRAY, the black.eagle. 
Bruce has probably described 
this bird under the name nissa 
tokoor. It occurs in Lev. 
xi. 13, and Deut. xiv. 12, only. 
OSSIFRAGE, the vulture, 
occurs Lev. xi. 13. Deut. xiv. 
12, only. 

OSTRICH, the largest of 
all fowls, weighing from 60 to 
80 pounds, and apparently the 

i connecting link between birds 
and quadrupeds. It is often 

, 7 or 8 feet in height. Its eggs, 

| of which k lays 30 or 40 in a 
season, are as large as a 
child's head, and are left in 

j the sand to be hatched by the 
sun. Job xxxix. 14, 16. Os- 
triches are found in the desert 
of Arabia, where they live 



chiefly on vegetables, and 
lead a social inoffensive life. 
It sometimes utters a remark- 
ably plaintive note, as though 
it was in great pain. Mic. i. 8. 
In swiftness they far exceed 
the horse, Job xxxix. 18, and 
though taken by men on horse- 
back, it is by stratagem. The 
Arabs often ride upon them. 
The ostrich is so timid that at 
any alarm it will fly and leave 
its eggs, or even its young 
ones j which explains Lam. 
iv. 3. It is there foretold, that 
the distress of the Jews should 
be so great, that parents would 
suffer their children to perish, 
being engrossed with anxiety 
to preserve themselves. It is 
said, Job xxxix. 16, 17, "she 
is hardened against her young 
ones, as though they were not 
hers," and that she is "de- 
prived of understanding :' 
and such is remarkably the 
fact. In flight it sometimes 
hides its head; and thinking 
itself safe when it cannot see 
its pursuer, is easily taken. 

OUCHES, sockets for the 
gems of the high priest ; s 
breastplate. Ex. xxxix. 6. 
The solderings of the rings at 
the corners seem also to be so 
called. Ex. xxxix. 16. 

OUTER, external. " Outer 
darkness" means the darkness 
of the night without, in oppo- 
sition to the light and splendor 
of the feast within. Hence 
the phrase is also used to ex- 
press the state of exclusion 
from the kingdom of God. 
Matt. viii. 12. 



PAL 



176 



PAL 



OVEN, a place for baking- 
food. Some were dug in the 
ground. Others were similar 
to American ovens. Some 
were like a pitcher 5 the fire 
being put inside, and the 
dough spread thin over the 
outside, which was baked in 
a few minutes. Fuel being 
scarce, as it is in all Eastern 
countries, dried cow-dung, 
stubble, stalks of flowers, and 
grass, were used. Lev. xi. 
35. Matt. vi. 30. 

OWL, a bird of night, of 
the rapacious kind, very va- 
rious in size and color, and 
found chiefly in desert soli- 
tudes and ruined houses. Isa. 
xiii. 21. Its voice is exces- 
sively disagreeable and melan- 
choly. Job xxx. 29. Ps. cii. 
6. Wicked men are com- 
pared to owls, in that they 
hate the light. Isa. xliii. 20. 



P. 



PA'DAN A'RAM, another 
name for Mesopotamia. 

PALM-TREE, a tree re- 
markable for loftiness, straight- 
ness, and productiveness ; and 
hence made an emblem in 
Scripture of uprightness, fruit- 
fulness and victory. Its fruit 
is the date, very sweet and 
nourishing, and a large por- 
tion of the inhabitants of 
Egypt, Arabia and Persia. 



subsist almost entirely upon it 
Camels are fond of the stone. 
The fruit is of the size of an 
olive. The palms of Hindos- 
tan, Burmah and adjacent 
countries yield no useful fruit. 
Palm branches were signals 
of joy and triumph, and there- 
fore the blessed in heaven aie 
represented as bearing them. 
Rev. vii. 9. The leaves are 
six or eight feet long, and 
proportionably broad when 
spread out, and are used to 
cover houses, and make couch- 
es, baskets, bags, fences, hats, 
&c. From the fibre of the 
branches are made thread, 
ropes, rigging, &c. Indeed, 
" the natives (says Gibbon) 
celebrate, either in prose or 
verse, three hundred and sixty 
uses to which the trunk, 
branches, leaves, juice and 
fruit are applied. " 

The palm-tree attains ma- 
turity in thirty years from 
planting the seed, continues 
in full strength eighty years, 
bearing annually three or four 
hundred pounds of dates, and 
finally dies at about two hun- 
dred years old. From its sap 
palm wine is made, called by 
the natives araky. It is a 
beverage which easily intoxi- 
cates, and is thought by Bishop 
Lowth to be the " strong 
drink," mentioned in Isa. v. 
11, and xxiv. 9. 

From the species called 
landan, growing wild in va- 
rious parts of the East, the 
common sago is procured. 
It forms a nutritious diet fol 



PAP 



177 



PAP 



the natives, who eat it as we 
do rice. This kind of palm 
bears no fruit but the sort of 
cabbage on the top, which is 
common to all palms. The 
sago is obtained from the sap 
and pith of the tree. 

PALMER- WORM, a sort 
of caterpillar of great vo- 
racity. Bochart contends, 
against the majority of learn- 
ed men, that it is a species of 
the locust. It occurs only in 
Joel i. 4 j ii. 25. Amos iv. 9. 

PAMPHYLIA, a province 
of Asia Minor, having the 
Mediterranean on the south, 
Lycia on the west, Pisidia on 
the north, and Cilicia on the 
east. Attalia and Perga were 
its principal cities. That part 
of the Mediterranean lying on 
the south of it, was called the 
Sea of Pamphylia, Acts ii. 
10; xiii. 13, <fcc. This and 
the adjacent provinces are 
now called tJie Levant. 

PANNAG, probably the 
valuable plant which Dr- 
oscorides and Pliny de- 
scribe by the name of " Pa- 
nax, 71 from which a composi 
tion was made, esteemed ser- 
viceable in many diseases 3 
whence panacea became a 
name for a universal medi- 
cine. It is said to resemble 
millet, and to have been used 
as food. Ezek. xxvii. 17. 

PAPER was invented in 
very early times. 2 John 12. 
It derives its name from the 
papyrus, or paper-reed, a 
species of bulrush, growing on 
the banks of the Nile. Isa. 



xix. 7. The stalk is triangu- 
lar, rising to the height of 
eight or nine feet, besides 
several feet under the water, 
and terminating at the top 
in a crown cf small fila- 
ments resembling the thistle. 




Of these the Egyptians 
made baskets, shoes, cloths, 
and small boats. Ex. ii. 3. 
Isa. xviii. 2. To make paper, 
they peeled off the different 
skins or films of the plant, 
which succeed each other like 
those of an onion. These 
they laid on a table, like the 
shingles of a roof, to the in- 
tended length and breadth of 
the paper, and laid over them 
a thin paste ; above which 
they spread a cross layer of 
other films or leaves, and then 
dried it in the sun. The films 
nearest the heart of the plant 
made the finest paper. When 
one of the Ptolemies de- 
nied Attalus, king of Perga- 
mus, this kind of paper, for 



PAR 



178 



PAR 



writing his library, he invent- 
ed, or greatly improved, the 
manufacture of parchment 3 
after which, books of note 
were written on parchment 
for almost 1300 years. The 
parchments which Paul left at 
Troas, and ordered Timothy 
to bring with him, were prob- 
ably either the original 
drafts of some of his epis- 
tles, or a marked copy of the 
Old Testament. 2 Tim. iv. 
13. Paper made of rags, has 
been in use about 550 years. 
Latterly, cotton rags, old 
ropes, straw, and other sub- 
stances, have been made into 
paper. 

PATHOS, a commercial 
city of Cyprus, visited by 
Paul. Actsxiii. 6. Twenty- 
five or thirty poor huts are all 
that remain of this once met- 
ropolitan city. This miser- 
able village is now called 
Baffa. 

PARA BLE , a short weighty 
sentence, or a similitude, used 
to convey instruction to igno- 
rant, prejudiced, or inatten- 
tive hearers. The ancients 
used parables frequently. 

The following table, ac- 
cording to Newcomers Har- 
mony, shows the order in 
which those of Christ were 
delivered : — 

Blind leading the blind, Luke vi. 39. 

House founded on a rock, Matt. vii. 24. 

The two debtors, Luke vii. 41. 

Expelled devil returning 1 , Matt. xii. 43. 

The rich fool, Luke xii. 16. 

The watchful servants, " xii. 38. 

The barren fig-tree, " xiii. 6. 

The sower. Matt. xiii. 3. 



The wheat and tares, Matt. xiii. 34. 

The growth of the seed, Mark iv. 26. 
The mustard seed, Matt. xiii. 31. 

The leaven, • " 33. 

The hidden treasure, " " 44. 

The pearl of great price, " " 45. 
The fishing net, " " 47. 

The good householder, " " 52. 

New piece to the garment, Luke v. 36. 
New wine in old bottles, " " 37. 
The lost sheep, Matt, xriii. 11. 

Unmerciful servant, " M 23 

Shepherd and sheep, John x. 11. 
Good Samaritan, Luke x. 30. 

The ambitious guests, " xiv. 7. 

The neglected invitations, " " 16. 
Building a tower, " " 28. 

King going to war, " " 31. 

The lost piece of silver, " xv. 8. 
The prodigal son, " " 11. 

The unjust steward, " xvi. 1. 

Rich man and Lazarus, " '*' 19. 
The master and servant, " xvii. 7. 
The unjust judge, " xviii. 1. 

Pharisee and publican, " M 9 
Laborers in vineyard, Matt. xx. 1. 
The ten pounds, Luke xix. 11. 

The two sons, Matt. xxi. 28. 

Wicked husbandmen, " " 33. 
Wedding garment, " xxii. 1. 

Fig-tree putting forth, " xxiv. 32. 
The master's return, " " 44. 

The ten virgins, " xxv. 1. 

The talents, " " 14. 

The true Vine, John xv. 1, 2. 

To understand parables, it 
is proper to observe, (1.) It 
is not necessary that the rep- 
resentation of natural things 
in a parable should be strictly 
matter of fact, because the 
design is not to inform con- 
cerning these, but concerning 
some more momentous truth ; 
nor is it necessary that all the 
actions in a parable be strictly 
just. 2 Sam. xiv. Luke xvi. 
1_8. (2.) We must chiefly 
attend to the scope of the 
parable, which is to be gath- 
ered from its inspired expli- 



PAR 



179 



PAS 



cation, if an^y ; or from the 
introduction to it, or the con- 
clusion of it. (3.) Hence it 
follows, that we are not to 
expect that every circum- 
stance in the parable should 
be answered by something- in 
the explication ; for several 
circumstances may be added 
for the sake of decorum, or 
mere allusion to that whence 
the figure of the parable is 
taken. (4.) Yet a parable 
may inform us of several 
truths beside that which is the 
main intent of it. 

PARADISE, the abode of 
glorified spirits. Luke xxiii. 
44. 2 Cor. xii. 4. Rev. 
xxvii. See Eden. 

PARAN formed a part of 
Arabia Petrea. Deut.xxxiii.2. 

PARDON, the remission 
of punishment due to guilt. 
Various similitudes, and 
touching" expressions, are used 
in Scripture, to show how 
ready the Lord is to pardon 
sinners, and to blot out their 
sins, cast them behind him, &c. 
Christians are required to par- 
don others, b^ that noblest of 
motives, " even as God for 
Christ's sake hath pardoned 
us." 

PARTHIA, an ancient em- 
pire, south of the Caucasus, 
and east of the Tigris, which 
subsisted 400 years. The na- 
tives were remarkable for 
continuing to fight even when 
they were obliged to retreat. 
In the Jatter periods of the 
Roman republic, they were a 
powerful people. It now 



forms a part of Persia. Doubt- 
less the Jews from Parthia, 
who heard Peter's sermon 
carried home the knowledge 
of the Christian faith ; but for 
many ages past, there has 
been but little Christianity 
here. Acts ii. 9. 

PARTITION, a separation 
between the parts of a thing. 
The peculiar ceremonies of 
the Jews were a "wall of 
partition" between them and 
the Gentiles. Jesus did them 
away, and now the wall of 
separation is abolished. Eph. 
ii. 14—16. 

PARTRIDGE. This bird is 
mentioned but twice in Scrip- 
ture. In 1 Sam. xxvi. 20, 
David compares himself to it 
hunted by an enemy. The 
prophet speaks of " the par- 
tridge that sitteth on eggs and 
hatcheth them not" as being 
like the man who u getteth 
riches and not by right." As 
the bird makes no other nest 
than a hollow on the ground, 
her eggs are very often de- 
stroyed by rains or the feet of 
animals. Several of them will 
sometimes lay in the same 
nest, so that the sitting hen 
cannot cover them all, and 
many are spoiled. Fifty or 
sixty eggs are often found in 
one nest. Jer. xvii. 11. 

PASSION, any strong or 
violent emotion of the mind 3 
desire for or aversion to a 
thing, as anger, love, joy, 
&c. : — the last sufferings of 
the Redeemer of the world. 

PASSOVER, a feast of 



PAT 



180 



PAT 



the Jews, in commemoration 
of the time when God, smiting 
the first-born of the Egyptians, 
passed over the habitations of 
the Hebrews. Ex. xii. The 
lamb which was slain, called 
the pascal lamb, was a type 
of Christ, the Lamb of God, 
slain from the foundation of 
the world. Rev. xiii. 8. And, 
as the destroying angel passed 
over the houses of the He- 
brews, which were marked 
with the blood of this pascal 
lamb, so, the wrath of God 
passes over those whose souls 
are sprinkled with the blood 
of Christ. 1 Cor. v. 7. Heb. 
xii. 24. The month of the 
exodus from Egypt was or- 
dained thenceforth to be the 
first of the sacred year. On 
the 14th day of this month, 
about sunset, the pascal lamb 
was to be killed. See Feast. 

PAT'ARA, a seaport of 
Lycia. Here was a famous 
temple of Apollo $ and ora- 
cles, equal in repute to those 
of Delphos, were given for 
six months of the year. Paul 
touched here in his way from 
Macedonia to Jerusalem. Acts 
xxi. 1. We find no traces of 
Christianity here till the fourth 
century, nor after the ninth, 
when the Saracens wasted the 
country. 

PATH. See Way. 

PATHROS, a city or can- 
ton of Egypt. It is probably 
the Pkaturis of Pliny. It had 
its name from Pathrusim, the 
fifth son of Mizraim, who built 
or peopled it. Gen. x. 14. 



PATIENCE, that noble 
passion or power of the mind 
which renders us capable of 
enduring the difficulties, afflic- 
tions, and disappointments, 
that happen in this life j that 
grace which enables us read- 
ily to submit to the will of God 
under all circumstances 5 an 
humble and submissive wait- 
ing for and expectation of 
eternal life, and the accom- 
plishment of God's promises ; 
that long suffering of God, 
which delays the punishment 
of sinners, and allows them 
space for repentance. Matt, 
xviii. 26—29. Rom. ii. 4. It 
is a virtue which, though much 
overlooked, and reckoned of 
inferior grade, is, however, 
one of the noblest attainments 
of the Christian. Jam. i. 4. 

PATMOS, a poor rocky 
island in the Grecian Archi- 
pelago, about 25 miles in cir- 
cumference. To this island 
John was banished by Domit- 
ian, in a. d. 94, and here he 
received his Revelations, 
which, however, were not 
published till his return to 
Ephesus. The chief town is 
in the centre of the island, 
5000 feet above the level of 
the sea, and contains 200 
houses, and a Catholic con- 
vent. The present name of 
the island is Patmol, or Pat- 
mosa. 

PATRIARCH, a venera- 
ble man, with a large poster- 
ity. The word is chiefly ap- 
plied to those who lived be- 
fore Moses, Acts vii. 8 $ and 



PAU 



181 



PE A 



hence we speak of the u patri- 
archal age." 

The following" is a list of 
the patriarchs, with the length 
of their lives :— - 



Adam, 


who lived 930 years 


Seth, 


u 


CC 


912 


a 


Enos, 


u 


CI 


905 


IC 


Cainan, 


(C 


CI 


910 


<( 


Mahalaleel, 


II 


u 


895 


it 


Jared, 


<< 


iC 


962 


(C 


Enoch, 


(C 


»< 


365 


CC 


Methuselah 


(C 


(( 


969 


" 


Lamech, 


M 


" 


777 


M 


Noah, 


tt 


IC 


950 


CI 


Shem, 


(( 


it 


600 


II 


Arphaxad, 


M 


(1 


438 


II 


Salah, 


M 


M 


433 


(( 


Eber, 


M 


M 


464 


14 


Peleg, 


41 


CC 


239 


II 


Reu, 


CC 


«( 


239 


(( 


Serug, 


(( 


C< 


230 


" 


Nahor, 


M 


M 


148 


II 


Terah, 


(( 


CI 


205 


14 


Abraham, 


U 


t< 


175 


(C 


Isaac, 


14 


(( 


180 


II 


Jacob, 


CC 


" 


147 


(1 



PAUL was of the tribe of 
Benjamin, born in Tarsus, 
which, as it was a free city of 
Rome, gave him the honor and 
advantage of Roman citizen- 
ship, though both of his parents 
were Jews. His name at first 
was Saul. He was sent to 
Jerusalem for his education, 
and became a very learned 
and prominent Pharisee. He 
was not converted till after 
our Saviour's death 5 which 
makes him speak of himself 
as " born out of due time. 7 ' 
He seems to have been raised 
up to take the place of Judas. 
His wonderful labors and 
success are recorded in the 
Acts of the Apostles. 
He was at last beheaded by 
16 



Nero at Rome. The follow- 
ing is the order and date 
of his epistles, as given by 
Bishop Pearson :— 

A. D. 52, the 1 Ep. to the Thessj. 



53, 


14 


2 


11 


« u ic 


57, 


M 


1 


14 


Corinthians. 


11 


CC 




II 


Galatians. 


u 


" 


2 


« 


Corinthians 


CI 


II 




II 


Romans. 


69, 


II 




a 


Ephesians. 


14 


IC 




" 


Philippians. 


14 


14 




" 


Colossians. 


II 


II 




II 


Philemon. 


63, 


II 




II 


Hebrews. 


65, 


cc 
a 


1 


II 

cc 


Timothy. 
Titus. 


67, 


" 


2 


" 


Timothy. 



Some chronologists have 
assigned a little different date 
to some of these. The com- 
putations adopted by Horne 
will be found under the head 
of New Testament. 

PEACE, happy tranquillity. 
The gospel does not promise 
exciting pleasures, but peace. 
Christ is the "Prince of 
peace." Christians are re- 
quired to " live in peace," 
and endeavor to promote it 
in the earth. The wicked and 
awful wars which have deso- 
lated the earth shall be known 
no more when Christianity 
reigns. Isa. ii. 4. To bring 
about universal peace, direct 
means should be employed, 
as well as for other good 
objects. Matt. v. 9. 

PEACOCK, a beautiful 
bird, not known in Palestine 
till imported by Solomon. 1 
Kings x. 22. Its native coun- 
try seems to be Persia and 
India. When Alexander 
reached the river Indus, he 



PEA 



182 



PEL 



was so charmed at the sight 
of these birds, that he forbade 
them to be killed, under a se- 
vere penalty ; and when Hor- 
tensius first killed one for sup- 
per at Rome, he was tried for 
the offence. 

PEARL, a hard, white, 
shining substance, found in 
some shell-fishes. The mat- 
ter proper to enlarge the 
shell, bursting from the ves- 
sels that convey it to the out- 
side, forms into a pearl. Com- 
mon oysters, the pinna-ma- 
rina, and several other fish, 
form pearls j but the proper 
pearl oyster produces the best. 
The chief fisheries for pearl 
are at Eahrein, in the Persian 
Gulf, and near the Isle of 
Ceylon, in the East Indies. 
The next to these are the 
pearl fisheries in the Gulf of 
Mexico. The beautiful inside 
of the shell of the pearl oys- 
ter is called " mother of pearl." 
In 50 years, pearls generally 
lose their beauty ', and in 100, 
they are scarcely worth any 
thing. Cleopatra had a pearl 
valued at 80,000 pounds ster- 
ling. The Persian emperor 
had one worth 110,000 pounds 
sterling; and Philip II. of 
Spain had one as large as a 
pigeon's egg, and valued at 
144,000 ducats. What our 
ladies wear in their necklaces 
are ordinarily false pearls, 
made of fish-scales bruised, 
and enclosed in glass. What is 
very excellent, is likened to 
pearls ; how precious ! how 
hard to be come at in a proper 



manner ! how truly orna- 
mental ! and how apt are 
men to counterfeit them t 
Matt. xiii. 46. Rev. xxi. 21, 
22. To " cast pearls before 
swine," is to preach the gos- 
pel to persecutors ; to apply 
the promises and privileges 
proper to saints to men really 
wicked ; to dispense sacra- 
ments to persons notoriously 
profane 3 or to administer re- 
proofs to obstinate scoffers. 
Matt. vii. 6. 

PELEG, whose name sig- 
nifies division, was born one 
hundred years after the flood. 
He was so named, because in 
his days the earth was divided 
into nations, in consequence 
of the confusion of tongues 
at the tower of Babel. Gei. 
x. 25. 

PEL'ETHITES arc al 
ways mentioned with Chere 
thites, and were part of the 
king's guard. They were 
chiefly used as runners or 
messengers. See Chere- 

THITES. 

PELICAN, an aquatic bird, 
somewhat larger than the 
common goose. Its color is 
nearly white, the neck yel- 
lowish, and the back dark 
brown. It has a long, crook- 
ed beak, and the fore part of 
the head towards the throat 
naked. Pelicans have a bag 
at their throat, nearly as ca- 
pacious as a peck measure, 
into which they gather fishes, 
&c, for themselves and for 
their young, of whom they 
are extremely careful. Its 



PEN 



183 



PER 



feeding its young from the 
bag on its breast, has perhaps 
been the origin of the fable 
of its giving them its own 
blood ; and thus caused it to 
be the emblem of paternal, as 
the stork is of filial affection. 
This bird is very retired in its 
habits, sitting for whole days 
alone among rocks and soli- 
tudes. Its voice is plaintive 
and disagreeable. Hence 
David compares himself, in 
his distress, to the pelican. 
Ps. cii. 6. 

PEN, an instrument for 
writing. Anciently, when 
tablets of wax, &c. were 
used, the pen was generally 
made of reed. John, in his 
3d Epistle, verse 13, says, u I 
have many things to write 
unto thee, but not with pen 
(<eaXa/iow, calamus) and ink." 
The English word pen comes 
from the Latin penna, a feath- 
er j but the use of quills is a 
modern invention ; the first 
authentic testimony of their 
being so used is in Isidorus, 
who died a. d. 636. 

PEN I' EL, where Jacob 

saw the Lord, was east of 

Jordan, near the brook Jab- 

bok. Gen. xxxii. 24—28. 

PENNY, a Roman coin, 

I equal to about 13 cents. It 

. was the common price of a 
day's work. In warm coun- 
tries, the fruits of the earth are 
produced in great abundance, 

| and the inhabitants require 
but little clothing; so that 
labor is very cheap. Matt. 

, xx. 2 — 13. It is very neces- 



sary to remember the value 
of the penny, to understand 
that the wages mentioned in 
the passage just quoted were * 
very generous ; that the money 
given by the Samaritan to 
the innkeeper was reasonable; 
and that the passage, Rev. vi. 
6, is a high price, and denotes 
a great scarcity. 

PENTECOST, a feast of 
the Jews, on the 50th day af- 
ter the Passover. It was a 
solemn thanksgiving for the 
harvest, and a grateful com- 
memoration of their being de- 
livered from Egyptian servi- 
tude, and enjoying their prop- 
erty, by reaping the fruits of 
their labors. Lev. xxiii. 10, 
11, &c. 

It is called by other names 
in the sacred writings, as, (1.) 
the feast o/iceeks, (Ex. xxiv. 
22. Deut. xvi. 10.) because 
celebrated seven weeks, or a 
week of weeks, after the first 
day of the Passover ; (2.) the 
feast ofliarvest, (Ex. xxiii. 16.) 
and, (3.) the day of first fruits, 
(Numb, xxviii. 26.) because 
on this day the Jews offered 
thanks for the bounties of the 
harvest, and presented the 
first fruits of wheat, in bread 
baked of the new grain. Ex. 
xxiii. 16. Lev. xxiii. 14. 
Numb, xxviii. 26. 

PERDITION, utter ruin, 
eternal death. The son of 
perdition means Judas Iscar- 
iot. Antichrist is also called 
by this epithet. 2 Thess. ii. 
3,4. 

PERFECT, complete, 



PER 



184 



PER 



without blemish or defect. It 
is applied, (1.) to God, who 
is absolutely perfect, Matt. 
v. 48 5 (2.) to that man who 
has risen to the measure of 
his stature in Christ,Coi. i. 28 j 
(3.) to some who are inno- 
cent in comparison of others, 
Job viii. 20 j (4.) to one 
who is sincere in heart, and 
unblamable in life, Gen. vi. 
9 ; (5.) to those who imitate 
God in doing good to the un- 
worthy, Matt. v. 48 5 (6.) 
to such as have a good de- 
gree of understanding, 1 Cor. 
ii. 65 (7.) to inanimate 
things, as weights, measures, 
&c. Deut. xxv. 15. 

PERFUME, an agreeable 
smell. In the East, perfumes 
were used to testify great 
respect. Dan. ii. 46. The 
Hebrews had two sacred per- 
fumes, one of incense, and the 
other an oil. Ex. xxx. 23 — 38. 
They were addicted to the 
perfuming of dead bodies, 
clothes, beds, &c. Prov. vii. 
17. Ps. xlv. 8. Song iii. 6. 

PERGA, a city of Pam- 
phylia, on the river Castrus, 
near to which, on an emi- 
nence, stood a temple of 
Diana. It was famed for the 
birth of Apollcnius, the ge- 
ometrician. Here Paul and 
Barnabas preached, Acts xiii. 
14, xiv. 25 5 and to tine end 
of the eighth century we find 
a Christian church here. It 
is at present a place of little 
importance. There was an- 
other Perga in Epirus. 

PERGAMOS, the ancient 



metropolis of Mysia, and the 
residence of the Attalian 
kings, stands on a rich and 
spacious plain, near the banks 
of the Caicus. It was famous 
for its extent and grandeur ; 
for a temple to Esculapius : 
for a library of 200,000 vol- 
umes, which was removed to 
Egypt by Cleopatra ; and for 
its being the birthplace of the 
celebrated Galen. Parchment 
was invented here, and re- 
ceived its name from the 
place. The Christian church 
here soon degenerated, and 
tolerated fornication, but ap- 
pears to have been reformed 
by John's letter, (Rev. ii.) 
and for 800 years afterward it 
was a considerable church. 
A Greek and Armenian church 
exist here at the present day. 
Of the population, now esti- 
mated at 30,000 persons, there 
are 300 Armenian Christians, 
1500 Greeks, and a syna- 
gogue of 100 Jews. The re- 
mainder are Turks. The 
streets are wide and clean, 
for an Eastern city. Its pres- 
ent name is Bergamo. 

PERIZZITES, one of the 
devoted nations of Canaan. 
They were never fully extir- 
pated. Solomon exacted 
tribute of them. 2 Chr. viii. 
7. So late as the days of 
Ezra we find them intermar- 
ried with the Jews. Ez. ix. 1. 

PERSECUTION, unjust 
vexation and injury on ac- 
count of religious principles 
or modes of worship. Acts 
viii. 1, and xiii. 50. Rom. 



PER 



185 



PER 



riii 35 Gal. vi. 12. It is 
in some degree the lot of all 
the truly pious ; therefore, 
while the Saviour promises all 
necessarj' good to his follow- 
ers, he forewarns them that 
persecution will be added. 
Mark x. 30. 2 Tim. iii. 12. 
The dreadful practice began 
in the first human family, and 
has never ceased. The form 
in which persecution now or- 
dinarily shows itself, is in 
hard words, uncharitable cen- 
sures, and underhand oppo- 
sition. When, however, a time 
of persecution is spoken of in 
history, it means when men 
are dragged before tribunals, 
banished, imprisoned, fined, 
and slain for their religion. 
There were ten general and 
dreadful persecutions previ- 
ous to A. d. 313. Since the 
; Roman church has gained 
power, she has always been 
prone to persecution. The 
inquisition was established 
i for this very purpose, and con- 
I tinues to this day. All Europe 
ha^ been deluged with Prot- 
estant blood, and hundreds 
of thousands of men, women 
and children have been butch- 
ered with the most exquisite 
cruelty. Persecution in any 
way is directly contrary to 
the gospel. 1 Cor. iv. 12. 
Matt. v. 43—45. 

PERSEVERANCE, con- 
tinuance in any design, state, 
or opinion. Eph. vi. 18. All 
who are truly born of the 
Spirit, will, by divine grace, 
persevere to the end. 5lercy 
16* 



being secured to them not 
through their will or merit, 
but God's own will and mer- 
cy, and they being really 
united to Christ, as members 
to a body, they cannot be 
finally cast off. Eph. i. 4, 23. 
Many positive declarations of 
Scripture teach the final per- 
severance of the saints. Job 
xvii. 9. Ps. xciv. 14, and 
cxxv. Jer. xxxii. 40. John 
x. 28, and xvii. 12. 1 Cor. i. 
8, 9. 1 Pet. i. 5. 

PERSIA, a country in 
Asia, which has been subject 
to various fluctuations of ex- 
tent and glory. Its most an- 
cient name was Elam. In 
the book of Daniel it is called 
Pares. It is bounded north 
by Russia and Tartary, east 
by the Mogul empire, south 
by the Arabian Sea and Per- 
sian Gulf, west by Georgia, 
Armenia, and Arabia. When 
Cyrus conquered Babylon, 
the Persian monarchy swal- 
lowed up that of Chaldea. 
Dan. vii. 3 — 5. Persia was 
afterward conquered by Alex- 
ander. Dan. vii. 6. It was 
subsequently a part of Par- 
thia, and remained so till 
about a. d. 235. About G41, 
the Saracens, under Omar, 
conquered it, and it remained 
subject to the caliphs of Bag- 
dad 615 years. Since then it 
has undergone various vicis- 
situdes, sometimes triumphant 
and often prostrate. Its mon- 
arch's title at present is shak, 
and sometimes soplii. The 
country has few rivers, many 



PH A 



186 



PHA 



mountains, and several desert 
plains. Opium, senna, rhu- 
barb, and asafcetida, are pro- 
cured here. The religion of 
Persia at this time is Mahom- 
etan, of the sect of the Chias, 
or Schiites. Its capital city 
was Persepolis, now Chel- 
minar. 

PESTILENCE, a name 
given in Scripture to any pre- 
vailing- contagious disease. 

PETER, son of Jonas, born 
in Bethsaida. He was of a 
prompt, resolute temper, and 
sometimes impetuous. After 
a life of most exalted useful- 
ness, he was crucified for his 
Master's sake about a. d. 70. 
The Roman Catholics con- 
sider the popes to be the suc- 
cessors of Peter, as Bishop of 
Rome ; but learned men deny 
that he ever visited that city. 

Two Epistles were writ- 
ten by him 5 the first four or 
five years before the other. 
They are called general, be- 
cause written for the use of 
all the converts to Christian- 
ity, especially such as were 
formerly Jews, and not to 
those ©f any particular city. 

PHA'RAOH, pronounced 
Pha'ro, the common title of 
the ancient sovereigns of 
Egypt, as Ptolemy was after- 
ward. 

There are several kings of 
this name mentioned in Scrip- 
ture : — 

1. He who took away 
Abraham's wife. Gen. xii. 

2. He who exalted Joseph. 
Gen. xii. xlvii. 



3. He who first oppressed 
Israel. Ex. i. ii. 

4. He who released Israel. 
Ex. v. xiv. 

5. He who gave his wife's 
sister in marriage to Hadad. 
1 Kings xi. 

6. Serechus, cotemporary 
with Ahaz. 2 Kings xvii. 4. 

7. Tirhakah, called by 
Strabo Tearcko. ' He lived 
in the days of Hezekiah. 2 
Kings xix. 9 ; Isa. xxxvii. 9. 

8. Pharaoh Necho, who 
set up Jehoiakim to be king 
of Judea. 2 Kings xxiii. 
xxiv. He is called Necus 
in Egyptian history. In the 
fourteenth year of his reign, 
Daniel interpreted the pro- 
phetic dream of the king of 
Babylon. 

9. Pharaoh-Hophra, called 
in profane history Apries, 
who made a league with 
Zedekiah, in consequence of 
which many of the Jews 
sought refuge in Egypt, and 
carried the prophet Jeremiah 
with them. Jer. xliii. 8—12, 
and xii v. 1. This Pharaoh 
died b. c. 570 years. In 
consequence of Zedekiah's 
revolt and league with Egypt, 
Nebuchadnezzar besieged 
and destroyed Jerusalem, 
and erected the colossal 
golden image on the plain 
of Dura. 

PHARISEES, one of the 
most ancient and noted sects 
among the Jews, remarkable 
for their rigid way of living, 
fasting constantly every sec- 
ond and fifth day of the week, 



PHI 



187 



PHI 



and submitting to many aus- 
terities. They studied the 
law, were very exact in the 
outward observance of it, and 
pretended to more holiness 
than others; adding voluntary 
sacrifices to those that were 
commanded, and making a 
great show of exactly per- 
forming all their vows. By 
these methods, they gained 
the good opinion of the popu- 
lace, and were esteemed per- 
sons of great learning and 
sanctity. But they corrupted 
the word of God by their ex- 
positions, and substituted hu- 
man traditions in the room of 
divine truth. Many of them 
were very wicked men, though 
a majority perhaps really 
lived as they professed. 

PHARPAR. See Abana. 

PHILADELPHIA, a city 
of Lydia, at the foot of Mount 
Tmolus, 72 miles from Smyr- 
na, was so called from Atta- 
lus Philadelphus, who built it. 
A Christian church was very 
early planted here, to which 
John was directed to write a 
consolatory and instructive 
epistle. Rev. iii. 7—13. 
Though we can only trace the 
regular history of Christianity 
in this place for about 800 
years, it has never been ex- 
tinguished. At present there 
are in it about 2000 Christians, 
chiefly Greeks, who speak 
the Turkish language, formed 
into five churches, and having 
at least twenty places of pub- 
lic worship. An archbishop 
resides here, whose diocese 



extends to Sardis on the west, 
and Laodicea on the east. 
The town contains about 3000 
houses. Gibbon says, M A- 
mong the Greek colonies and 
churches of Asia, Philadel- 
phia is still erect, — a column 
in a scene of ruin#." It is 
now called Allah Schyr, or 
the "Fair City." 

PHILE'MON seems to 
have been some eminent 
Christian residing at Colosse, 
whose servant, named Onesi- 
mus, absconded and fled to 
Rome. There he was con- 
verted, and sent back to his 
master with a letter from Paul, 
called the Epistle to Philemon. 

This Epistle seems to 
have been written by Paul 
during his detention at Rome, 
a. d. 62 or 63, and was sent, 
together with the Epistles to 
the Ephesians and Colossians, 
by Tychicus and Onesimus. 
Paley, in his Horse Paulinse, 
has brought many unanswer- 
able proofs of the authenticity 
of Scripture from the unde- 
signed coincidences between 
this Epistle and the Acts of 
the Apostles, written by Luke. 

PHILIP, son of Herod the 
Great and Cleopatra. From 
him the city Cesarea Phi- 
lippi received its name. Matt, 
xvi. 13, &c. 

PHILIP, another son of 
Herod, by his wife Mariamne. 
He was sometimes called 
Herod, and was the husband 
ofHerodias. He was disin- 
herited by his father, and lived 
a private life. Matt. xiv.3,&c> 



PHI 



188 



PHI 



PHILIP, one of the twelve 
apostles 3 a native of Beth- 
saida in Galilee. Some an- 
cient historians say that he 
was the individual who re- 
quested of Jesus that he might 
"first go and bury his father." 
Matt, viii.,21,22. 

PHILIP, one of the seven 
deacons of the church at Je- 
rusalem. 

PHILIPPI, a city of Ma- 
cedonia, anciently called 
Datos ; but being repaired by 
Philip, father of Alexander 
the Great, it received its 
name from him. It stood 
about 70 miles north-east of 
Thessalonica. It was ren- 
dered famous by the defeat 
of Brutus and Cassius in its 
neighborhood. Here Paul 
preached about a. d. 52 j and 
Lydia and many others were 
converted. Acts xvi. 12. 
This church supported Paul 
while he labored as a mis- 
sionary at Thessalonica, 
Phil. iv. 15, 16, and also 
when at Corinth, 2 Cor. xi. 
9, and remitted him money 
for his support, while he 
lived at Rome in " his own 
hired house." Phil. ii. 25, 
and iv. 10—18. 

The Epistle to these 
Christians seems to have been 
written from Rome during the 
latter part of Paul's first im- 
prisonment. 

PHILISTIA, or Pales- 
tine, is a name now given 
to the whole of Canaan $ but 
in Scripture it means only a 
narrow strip of land along the 



sea-coast, in the south-west 
of Canaan, about forty miles 
long and fifteen miles broad. 
Its cities were Gerar, Gaza, 
Majuma, Askelon, Ekron, 
Ashdod, and Gath. The 
Philistines and the Caphtorim 
descended from Casluhim, 
the son of Mizraim, who peo- 
pled Egypt ; and their coun- 
try is perhaps called the isle 
or country of Caphtor. Jer. 
xlvii. 4. Their territory was 
allotted to the Hebrews, but 
they neglecting to take pos- 
session of it, the Philistines 
were made a severe and last- 
ing scourge to them. Josh, 
xiii. 2, 3 j xv. 45, 46, 47. 
Jud.iii. 1,2,3. See Canaan. 
PHILOSOPHY, a word 
literally signifying love of wis- 
dom. In its usual accepta- 
tion, however, it denotes a 
science, or collection of sci- 
ences, of which all things, 
both of body and spirit, are 
the objects. When the term 
is thus employed, it admits of 
various definitions. That part 
of philosophy which treats of 
God, is called Theology ; 
that which treats of nature, 
Physics, or Natural Philoso- 
phy ; and that which treats 
of men, Logic, and Moral 
or Intellectual Philosophy. 
When St. Paul cautioned the 
Colossians to "beware lest 
any man should spoil them 
through philosophy," (chap, 
ii. 8.) he did not mean to for- 
bid the pursuit of knowledge 
in general, but to condemn 
that vain affectation of wis 



PHR 



189 



PHY 



dom, of which the heathens 
were notoriously fond/ and 
which stood in opposition to 
the simplicity of the gospel 
of Christ. 

PHOENICIA, a province 
of Syria. It contained the 
famous cities Sarepta, Ptole- 
mais, Tyre and Sidon. The 
Tyrians and Sidonians had 
almost all the trade of the 
then known world. There 
was scarcely a shore or isle 
of the Mediterranean Sea 
where they did not plant col- 
onies. The most noted of 
these was that of Carthage, 
which once long" contended 
with Rome. It is thought 
the Phoenicians pushed their 
trade as far as Britain, and 
they probably had settle- 
ments on the Red Sea and 
Persian Gulf. Sir Isaac 
Newton thinks that vast num- 
bers of Edomites fled hither 
in the days of David, and car- 
ried their arts along with 
them. The chief city of this 
region, and sometimes the 
region itself, is now called 
Tripoli. 

PHRYGIA, a country of 
Lesser Asia, having Bithynia 
and Galatia on the north, 
Cappadocia on the east, and 
Pisidia and Lycia on the 
south, and Lydia, Mysia and 
Caria on the west. The gos- 
pel was very early preached 
in Phrygia, and a church 
formed, which for many ages 
made a considerable appear- 
ance. Acts xvi. 6 j xviii. 23. 



A portion of the inhabitants 
are Christians to this day. 

PHYLACTERY, a slip 
or box of parchment on which 
was written some important 
texts of Scripture, worn by 
pious Jews on their foreheads 
or arms when they went to 
the synagogue, or at morn- 
ing and evening prayer, &c. 
The common form may be 
seen in the engraving. 




Our Lord censures the Phari- 
sees for wearing theirs very 
large and conspicuous, out 
of vain glory and hypocrisy, 
and making the use of them 
a great part of their religion. 
The custom was founded on 
the command, in Ex. xiii. 16 $ 
and Numb. xv. 37 — 40 j which 
was probably only figurative 
language, meaning that they 
should most carefully remem- 
ber God's word. But the 
Jews were apt to turn all the 
law into carnal observances. 
The passages commonly writ- 
ten on them, were Numb. xv. 
41. Deut. vi. 6—9. Ex. 



PIN 



190 



PIT 



*iii. 8. 9, and xiii. 14—16. 
Dent. xi. 18—21. It does 
not appear, however, that 
they confined themselves to 
these texts. There is no evi- 
dence of their being worn by 
the ancient Jews. The cus- 
tom seems to have originated 
about the time of the rise of 
the sect of Pharisees. Some 
Jews now wear a square piece 
.of stuff under their clothes, 
with four strings and four tas- 
sels at the corners, which 
they call Arbah casoth. 

PILATE, see Pontius. 

PILGRIM, a wanderer; 
one who travels to a holy 
place. It is not probable that 
pilgrimages, as now made by 
papists and pagans, were 
known in early times ; but 
good men in all ages have 
esteemed themselves "stran- 
gers and pilgrims on the 
earth." Heb. xi. 13. 

PILLAR, a column, a sup- 
porter, a monument. " The 
pillars of the earth," and 
" pillars of heaven," are met- 
aphorical expressions, by 
which the world is compared 
to a vast edifice, reared by 
the power and skill of Jeho- 
vah. Job ix. 6; xx vi. 11; 
and xxxviii. 4, 6. Ps. Ixxv. 3. 
James was a pillar in the 
church ; that is, a great sup- 
port and ornament ; and the 
church itself is the " pillar and 
ground of the truth •," that is, 
it maintains truth in the world. 
1 Tim. iii. 15. 

PINE, a species of fir 
Iree. It grew on Lebanon, 



but is mentioned only thrice 
in Scripture ; Neh. viii. 15. 
Isa. lxi. 19 ; and lx. 13. 

PINNACLE, a turret or 
high summit. The " pinnacle 
of the temple," Matt. iv. 5, 
seems to have been the battle- 
ment of the roof of Solomon's 
porch, which stood on ground 
made by carrying up a wall 
of several hundred feet from 
the valley below, and thus 
enlarging the space for the 
temple on the top. It was a 
dizzy height (Josephus says 
500 cubits), and commanded 
an extensive prospect. 

PISGAH, the highest top 
of that chain of mountains 
called Abarim, and a part of 
Mount Nebo ; and so Moses 
is sometimes said to view 
Canaan from Nebo, and some- 
times from Pisgah. Deut. iii. 
27 ; xxxiv. 1. There were 
several fine springs of water 
at its base. Deut. iv. 49. 

PISI'DIA a province of 
Lesser Asia, west of Mount 
Taurus, south-west of Ly- 
caonia, and north of Pam- 
phylia. Its present name is 
Natolia. 

' PI'SON, the name of the 
first branch of the river of 
Eden. It is supposed to be 
the western branch of the 
divided stream of the Tigris 
and Euphrates, which runs 
along the side of Havilah in 
Arabia. Gen. ii. 11. 

PITCH. The substance so 
called, Gen. vi. 14, is the 
same as the slime, mentioned 
Gen. xiii. 3, and xiv. 10; 



PLE 



191 



POE 



and is generally supposed to 
be the inflammable mineral 
called asphaltos, from the 
lake Asphaltites, or Dead 
Sea, in Judea, on the surface 
of which it is found. When 
first obtained, it is soft, vis- 
cous, and pliable, but soon 
acquires a hardness and te- 
nacity superior to our pitch. 
It was therefore excellent for 
smearing- the ark, Ex. ii. 3, 
or for building the tower of 
Babel. Gen. xi. 3. The 
Arabs still use it for the bot- 
toms of boots j and in the ru- 
ins of Babylon, large masses 
of brick work cemented with 
it have been discovered. 
Naptha, Petroleum, Barba- 
does tar, &c. are different 
varieties of this substance. 

PI'THOM and RAME'- 
SES were the two cities for 
the building of which the He- 
brews made brick. Ex. i. 11. 
The situation of them is now 
unknown. Herodotus men- 
tions a city called Pathumos, 
situated on the canal made to 
join the Red Sea and the 
River Nile. 

PLEDGE, a pawn which 
a lender takes from a borrow- 
er, to secure the payment of 
money. No millstone was to 
be taken in pledge ; the wid- 
ow's ox, or a person's cloth- 
ing for body or bed, if taken, 
was to be restored the same 
night. No Hebrew was to 
take a pledge from a poor 
man of his own nation, nor 
to go into the borrower's 
house to take a pledge for 



himself, but the borrower was 
to bring out to him that which 
could best be spared. Ex. 
xxii. 26. Deut. xxiv. 10 — 17 
Ezek. xviii. 7—12, 16. 

PLE'IADES, a beautiful 
cluster of stars, sometimes 
called " the seven stars." 
They are in the constellation 
Taurus, and appear the last 
of March. 

PLOUGH, an instrument 
of tillage. To plough and 
look back, Luke ix. 62, is to 
make bad work, if indeed one 
could thus work at all, espe- 
cially with the imperfect 
ploughs used in the time of 
our Saviour. Christians, 
therefore, must not look back 
on the world with pleasure 
and desire, but give all heed 
to the important work and re- 
ward which lies before them. 
1 Cor. ix. 10. 

POETS, composers of 
songs or verses in metre. 
Acts xvii. 28. Homer, Pin- 
dar, Anacreon, and Sappho, 
excelled among the Greeks : 
Virgil and Horace among the 
Latins. Many portions of 
the sacred writings are in 
poetry ; the grandeur of which 
incomparably transcends that 
of any human production. 
As the true pronunciation of 
the Hebrew language is not 
now known, we cannot per- 
ceive the harmony of words 
or quantity of syllables which 
mark true poetry. Yet it is 
plain that the Hebrews re- 
garded those things, as we 
find letters added to, or omit 



PON 



192 



POW 



ted from, the ends of words, 
&c, evincing" submission to 
rhythm and quantity. The 
reader is referred to the Lec- 
tures of Bishop Lowth on the 
Poetry of the Hebrews, as 
containing all that is satisfac- 
torily known on this subject. 

POLL, (pronounced pole) 
the head of a person : — a reg- 
ister of heads or persons. 
Numb. i. 2. 1 Chr. xxiii. 3, 
24. Asa verb, it means to 
lop, cut, or prune. 2 Sam. 
xiv. 26. Ezek. xliv. 20. 

POLLUX, see Castor. 

POMEGRANATE, a spe- 
cies of the apple-tree. Its 
growth is low and spreading ; 
its wood hard and knotty ; its 
bark reddish and prickly 5 its 
leaves greenish, inclining to 
red 3 and its blossoms large, 
and bell-shaped. The fruit, 
which resembles an apple, 
ripens about August, and is 
sometimes three or four inches 
in diameter, and of a pound 
weight. It was esteemed one 
of the most delicious fruits in 
the world. Numb. xiii. 23. 
The pomegranate juice is 
frequently made into wine, or 
mixed with it. Song viii. 2. 
One kind was sour, and was 
used to give a flavor to meats 
and liquors, till the juice of 
lemons and oranges super- 
seded it. Deut. viii. 7, 8. It 
comes to perfection in our 
Southern States. 

PONTIUS PILATE, the 
Roman governor of Judea, 
was in office 10 years. By 
bis covetous and cruel admin- 



istration he caused himself to 
be exceedingly hated, both 
by the Jews and Samaritans 
At length, three years after 
the death of Christ, com- 
plaints against him reached 
the court of the Emperor 
Caligula, and he was recalled 
to Rome, tried, and banished 
to Gaul. Afterwards, through 
poverty and shame, he com- 
mitted suicide. 

PONTUS, a province on 
the south side of the Euxine 
Sea, extending from the River 
Halys on the west, to the 
country of Colchys on the 
east. In this district is the 
River ThermodoOn, beside 
which the Amazons are fabled 
to have dwelt. 

POPLAR. The tree thus 
named in Scripture is the 
white poplar, so called from 
the whiteness of its leaves, 
bark, and wood. The word 
occurs Gen. xxx. 37 5 and 
Hos. iv. 3, only. 

POST. (1.) An upright 
timber. (2.) A carrier of de- 
spatches or letters, who goes 
with haste. Jer. li. 31. Man's 
days are more swift. Job ix. 

POTSHERD, a piece of 
broken earthen ware. Job 
ii. 8. 

POTTERS' FIELD, see 
Acel'dama. 

POWER, a word various- 
ly used, to signify ability, lib- 
erty, jurisdiction, preroga- 
tive, &c. The expression, 
1 Cor. xi. 10, has caused 
much discussion. A probable 
interpretation is, that a wo- 



PRA 



193 



PRE 



roan's veil was regarded as 
an emblem of subjection to 
the other sex. The word 
messenger, there translated 
angel, may mean spies, who 
came into the Christian as- 

. sembly, and would maliciously 
report if their women departed 
from established customs. 

PRAISE, to commend. To 
praise God is to duly ac- 
knowledge his great excel- 
lencies. Ps. cxxxviii. &c. 
Rev. xix. 5. To praise men, 
is to declare their good ac- 
tions or qualifications. Ps. 
xxvii. 2. 

PRAY, to entreat, or ask 
earnestly with submission j to 
appeal to the judgment and de- 
cision of another 5 to intercede 
in behalf of others, and to beg 
thatsomeevi maybe averted, 
or some favor or good obtain- 
ed 5 to make known our desires 
to God, by offering up our pe- 
titions for things lawful and 
necessary, with an humble 
confidence of obtaining them, 
through Christ's mediation 
alone, to the praise of God's 
mercy, truth, and power. 

j Matt. vi. 6. John xvi. 23, 24, 
26. We are exhorted to pray 
for all men, 1 Tim. ii. 1 ; and 
are encouraged to this benev- 
olent act, Jam. v. 16 3 but we 

, must seek and expect the 

; help of the Holy Spirit. Rom. 
viii. 26. The prayers that 
we direct to God are the or- 

j dinary means by which we 
receive grace from him. 
To neglect prayer is a great 

, sin against the majesty and 
17 



mercy of God, attended with 
unspeakable loss to ourselves. 
The pious Jews used to pray 
three times a day, at morn- 
ing, noon, and evening 5 and 
less than this ought not to 
satisfy Christians. 

The true nature of prayer 
may be best ascertained from 
a view of the manner in which 
it -is spoken of in Scripture. 
It is called inquiring of the 
Lord, Gen. xxv. 22 } suppli- 
cation, Zech. xii. 10 5 en- 
treaty, Ex. viii. 8 5 wrestling 
with God, Rom. xv. 30 ; lift- 
ing up the soul, Ps. xxv. 1 ; 
pouring out the heart, Ps 
lxii. 8 ; looking up to God, 
Ps. v. 3 3 taking hold of God, 
Isa. lxiv. 7 } crying', 1 Sam 
vii. 8 j asking, John xv. 16 ; 
seeking and knocking, Matt, 
vii. 7, &c. &c. How plainly 
may we see from this method 
of speaking of prayer, the 
unacceptableness and ineffi- 
ciency of cold, formal, and 
heartless repetitions before 
God! 

PREACH, see Gospel. 
To preach is loudly to pro- 
claim the will of God, as his 
appointed heralds. Eph. iii. 
8. To preach in a proper 
manner requires no small at- 
tention, in order that no fault 
in the pronunciation, the ges- 
ture, the language, the order, 
or the matter, may tend to 
bring the truths of the gospel 
into contempt 5 or, by feeding 
the carnal fancy of airy minds, 
divert them from the impor- 
tant subject. 



PRE 



194 



PRI 



PREDESTINATE, to 
predetermine. The word is 
used in reference to God's 
purpose to save a part of 
the human race from that 
corruption and condemnation 
which all have amply deserv- 
ed. Rom. viii. 29, 30. Eph. 
i. 5. The ancient Hebrews 
knew as well as ourselves that 
God foreknew what every per- 
son would be, do, or become. 
This is involved in the very 
notion of omniscience. God 
says to Jeremiah, (i. 5.) u Be- 
fore I formed thee I knew 
thee, and before thou earnest 
forth out of the womb, I sanc- 
tified thee, and ordained thee 
to be a prophet." This is a 
most difficult subject, on 
which we are to think and 
speak with profound rever- 
ence j and, with minds con- 
firmed in the belief of Jeho- 
vah's infinite justice and mer- 
cy, govern ourselves by the 
plain injunctions of Scripture. 

PRES'BYTERY, a body 
of ministers met for ordaining 
a person, or other purposes. 
1 Tim. iv. 14. 

PRESS, see under Wine 

PRETO'RIUM, the resi- 
dence of the Roman governor 
at Jerusalem. Mark xv. 16. 
Here he sat to administer jus- 
tice. It is called the judg- 
ment hall. Acts xxiii. 35. 
What Paul calls the pretori- 
um, (in the Eng. trans. palace.) 
Phil. i. 13, seems to mean the 
camp of the pretorian bands, 
to which he was probably 






carried by the soldier to whom 
he was chained. 

PREVENT, to hinder, as 
the word is now used. But 
this is never its signification 
in the Bible. It there always 
means to precede, or go be- 
fore ; this being the use of the 
word at the time our transla- 
tion of the Bible was made. 
Ps. lxxx. 3. 2 Sam. xxii. 6. 
1 Thess. iv. 15. 

PRICKS, sharp points 
placed in the end of a long 
staff, and used formerly to 
drive oxen. Acts ix. 5. They 
are now commonly called 
goads. To " kick against 
the pricks," is a proverbial 
expression, applied to those 
who injure themselves by 
struggling against inevitable 
necessity. 

PRIDE, (1.) The elation 
of a mind filled with self-con- 
ceit, contempt of God, and 
disdain of men. (2.) What one 
is proud of, as power, wealth, 
church-ordinances, and rela- 
tion to God, &c. (3.) The 
haughty looks and words, or 
wicked deeds, whereby a man 
discovers the pride of pis 
heart. Ps. xxxi. 20. Hos. v. 5. 

PRIESTHOODmeans, 
(1.) The office of a priest. 
Numb. xvi. 10. Under the 
Jewish law, the priest offered 
sacrifices, taught the people, 
and prayed for them. Aaron's 
was an "everlasting priest- 
hood ;" it secured to him and 
his seed the office of priest 
for many generations. Ex. 
xl. 15. Numb. xxv. 13. But 



198 




THE JEWISH H.GK PRIEST, 

As robed on the Day of Expiation. 



196 




THE JEWISH HIGH PRIEST, 

Id his ordinary Official Robes. 



PRI 



197 



PRO 



Christ's is an '•' unchangeable 
priesthood/' as it never can 
pass from him to another. 
Heb. vii. 2k (2.) A class 
of priests, or persons who per- 
form religious offices, accord- 
ing to the will of God. The 
saints are an " holy" and a 
" royal priesthood j" a com- 
pany of spiritual priests, 
washed in Jesus's blood, sanc- 
tified by his word and Spirit, 
and enabled to offer up spirit- 
ual sacrifices of prayer and 
praise to God through Jesus 
Christ. 1 Pet. ii. 5, 9. Rev. 
i. 6. Before the consecration 
of Aaron and his sons, fathers, 
elder brothers, &c. acted as 
priests ; as Noah, Abraham, 
Job, Melchisedek. &,c. ; and 
occasionally every man for 
himself, as Abel, Cain, &c. 

The High Priest was at 
the head of the Jewish priest- 
hood. His duty was to offer 
sacrifices, to oversee the 
house of God, regulate the 
services of the other priests 
and the Levites, direct public 
worship, obtain special indi- 
cations of the divine will, and 
once a year enter the Holy 
of Holies, with blood and in- 
cense, as described Lev. xvi. 
His dress, both on common 
and special occasions, is de- 
scribed Ex. xxxix. &c. In the 
preceding engravings, he is 
seen as robed on the day of 
expiation, Lev. xvi. and on 
ordinary occasions. Ex.xxviii. 
The office began in Aaron, 
and was continued in his fam- 
ily till near the time of the 
17* 



ruin of the Jewish polity by 
the Romans ; when, among 
other acts of corruption, the 

office was bartered for money. 

The high priest, once a 
year, made atonement for the 
sins of all the people j but 
Christ is the true High Priest, 
who, by the sacrifice of him- 
self, made atonement for the 
sins of the whole world, and 
now intercedes, at the right 
hand of God, for all who be- 
lieve on his name. Heb. vii. 
17; ix. 11 5 andxii. 24,25. 

PRINCE, a chief governor 5 
a kijig's son. Christ is Prince 
of peace, being the Purchaser 
and Procurer of peace between 
God and men 5 between men 
and men 5 and between Jews 
and Gentiles. Eph. ii. 15. 
John xi v. 27. He is Prince of 
life, Acts iii. 15, because he 
is the Author of temporal life, 
in whom we live, and move, 
and have our being. He is 
also " Prince of the kings of 
the earth," Rev. i. 5, as he 
rules over all. Satan is the 
" -prince of this world, 7 be- 
cause he boasts of having all 
the kingdoms of the earth at 
his disposal, Matt. iv. 9 5 and 
because he has an usurped 
dominion in the world, and 
great power in the hearts of 
the children of disobedience, 
who yield a voluntary sub- 
jection to him. Of all this 
power he shall soon be dis- 
possessed. John xii. 31. 

PROFANE, openly wick- 
ed, wanting in religious rev- 
erence to sacred names 0/ 



PRO 



193 



PRO 



things, 1 Tim. i. 9 ; unholy or 
impure. 1 Tim. vi. 20. Esau 
is called profane, because he 
sold his birthright, which was 
a holy thing j not only because 
the priesthood was annexed 
to it, but also because it was 
a privilege leading to Christ, 
and a type of his title to the 
heavenly inheritance. When 
the apostle censured " pro- 
fane babblings/' he meant 
those heathen absurdities 
which were founded in super- 
stition and ignorance. 

PROMISE, an assurance, 
by which a person engages 
to do or forbear to do some- 
thing. God, in his word, 
promises blessings to his peo- 
ple. The fifth commandment, 
u Honor thy father and moth- 
er/' is called the " com- 
mandment with premise" 
Eph. vi. 2, because God has 
added this declaration — that 
they who honor their parents 
shall have their days length- 
ened on the earth. Jesus 
Christ has promised to be 
with his people to the end of 
the world. Matt, xxviii. 20. 
The Holy Ghost is called the 
ki Holy Spirit of promise" 
Eph. i. 13, being promised to 
them that believe on Christ, 
and being the seal and pledge 
of their everlasting happiness. 

PROPHECY, (1.) A dec- 
laration of future things. 
Neh. vi. 12. (2.) A declara- 
tion of hidden, obscure, and 
important things. Prov. xxx. 
1. (3.) The preaching of the 
gospel. 1 Tim. iv. 14. Rom. 



xii. 6. (4.) The gift of ex- 
plaining obscure passages of 
Scripture, or of foretelling 
things to come. 1 Cor. xii. 
10 ; and xiii. 8. 

The numerous prophecies 
of Scripture which have been 
precisely fulfilled, are a com- 
plete proof that the Bible is 
the word of God. 

PROPHET, one who fore- 
tells what is to come ; a per- 
son inspired, and appointed 
by God to reveal his will, to 
warn of approaching judg- 
ments, to explain obscure 
passages of Scripture, or to 
make known the truths of the 
Bible, and urge men to obe- 
dience. 1 Cor. xiv. 26. Jesus 
Christ is " that Prophet,'' who, 
having taught the will of God 
on earth, with an infinite su- 
periority to all the rest in 
force of authority, extent of 
knowledge, and efficacy of 
instruction, and being now 
exalted to the right hand of 
power in heaven, still teaches 
by his word and Spirit. Such 
as refuse his teachings incur 
certain reprobation. Acts iii. 
22. Heb. xii. 25. 

About the time of Samuel. 
schools of the prophets were 
formed, wherein young men 
were piously educated, to 
prepare them for receiving 
the gift of prophecy. Such 
schools we find at Bethel, 
Gilgal, Najoth, Jericho, and 
Jerusalem 3 but it does not 
appear that all these young 
men were afterward inspired 
They were inspected by Sam 



PRO 



199 



PRO 



uel, Elijah, Elisha, &c. 1 
Sam. x. xi. xix. 2 Kings ii. 
Whether the most of the noted 
prophets were anointed at 
their entrance on their office, 
we know not. It is certain that 
they generally lived in a very 
low and temperate manner. 
The presents given them were 
such as oil, bread, fruits, 
honey. 2 Kings iv. 42. 1 
Sam. ix. 7, 8 j x. 1. John 
Baptist was " more than a 
prophet." as he pointed out 
Jesus Christ as already in- 
carnate. Matt. xi. 9. Paul, 
Peter, and John, may be 
called prophets, as there is 
in their writings a variety of 
predictions. 2 Thess. i. 7 — 
JO 5 ii. 3—11. 1 Tim. iv. 
1—3. 2 Pet. iii. 10, &c. 
Almost the entire book of 
Revelation is a prophecy. 

The following is a cata- 
logue of the prophets. The 
order of succession is, in 
some instances, uncertain, 
and some chronologists give 
different dates. Some of the 
prophets lived under succes- 
sive kings, but the space al- 
lows only the mention of one. 

Years 

Samuel prophesied . . . . 61 

David " .... 48 

Elijah " under Ahab, . 14 

Elisha " " Jehoram, . 53 

Jonah " " Jehu. 

Joel " « Uniah. 

Amos M " Jeroboam II. 26 

Hosea " " " G2 

Isaiah " " Ahai, . . 62 

Micah " * « . . 40 

N ah urn " u Hezekiafi. 

Zephaniah " " Josiah. 

Habakkuk " " " 

Jeremiah " " " 41 



Obadiah proph. in the captivity. 
Ezekiel " " 21 

Daniel " " 69 

Haggai M alter the captivity. 
Zechariah n •* 9 

Malachi " " 3 

PROPITIATION, an 

atonement for guilt 5 that 
which propitiates. It has 
been defined as " the averting 
the punishment due to any 
one by undergoing the pen- 
alty in the room of the guilty/' 
Christ is " the Propitiation for 
our sins," — i. e. the sins of his 
people j because his complete 
righteousness and atonement 
satisfies the Father for all 
their transgressions, and se- 
cures the cancelling of the 
demands of justice. Rom. 
iii. 25, and viii. 32—39. 1 
John ii. 2. 

PROS'ELYTE means in 
Scripture one that turned from 
heathenism to the Jewish 
religion. Acts ii. 10. Some 
were prosehjtes of the gate, 
who, though they renounced 
idolatry j observed what the 
rabbins call the seven pre- 
cepts of Noah 3* and attended 
the Jewish instructions; yet 
were not circumcised, nor al- 
lowed to partake of the pass- 
over. To these the Jews al- 
lowed hopes of eternal life, 
and permitted them to dwell 

* These were seven laws, which, 
they maintained, were given hy 
Jehovah to the sons of Noah ; viz. 
1. To avoid idolatry. 2. To wor- 
ship God. 3. To ahhor incest. 
4. To commit no murder. 5. Xot 
to steal. 6. To punish murder 
with death. 7. Not to eat blood 
or things strangled. 



PRO 



200 



PSA 



in Canaan. Of this kind of 
proselytes we may suppose 
Naaman, Cornelius, the Ethi- 
opian eunuch, and Solomon's 
153,600 servants to have 
been. Others were proselytes 
of righteousness, or of the 
covenant 5 being 1 obliged to 
fulfil the whole law of Moses. 
At their admission, the mo- 
tives influencing them to 
change their religion were 
examined, and they were in- 
structed in the principles of 
Judaism. Next, if males, 
they were circumcised j after 
which, they presented their 
oblation to the Lord. Wheth- 
er they were also dipped in 
water is much disputed, and 
seems not probable. No 
mention is made of such a 
rite in Scripture, which would 
leave it without authority if 
practised. Nor is it men- 
tioned in Josephus, Philo, the 
Apocrypha, the New Testa- 
ment, or by any writer for 
several hundred years after 
Christ. No boys under twelve 
years of age, or girls under 
thirteen, were admitted with- 
out the consent of their pa- 
rents ; or, if these refused, 
without the consent of the 
judges of the place. During 
the time of Christ, the Jews, 
and especially the Pharisees, 
greatly exerted themselves to 
make proselytes. Compare 
Matt, xxiii. 15, with Acts xiii. 
43. 

PROVERBS, the name of 
a book in the Scriptures, con- 
taining the inspired precepts 



of Solomon. 1 Kings iv. 32 
The whole in the original 
seems to be poetry. Though 
written by Solomon, they 
seem to have been collected 
and arranged by others. Let 
the reader turn to ch. xxv. 1, 
and xxx. 1. 

PROVIDENCE, a care 
for the future. The word is 
principally used in reference 
to that superintendence which 
our heavenly Father exercises 
over his creatures, supporting 
them in their being, and gov- 
erning them in all their ac- 
tions. This government, 
though exact and minute, in- 
fringes not our perfect liberty 
of choice, and complete re- 
sponsibility for our actions. 

PSALM, a holy song. The 
Psalms are particularly sweet 
to a Christian, because they 
contain so much nf the expe- 
rience of a religious man. 
Most of them were composed 
by David. The 90th was 
composed by Moses j per- 
haps the 80th by Heman. 
Those under the name of 
Asaph were probably directed 
to him as leader of the tem- 
ple choir. Some psalms are 
doctrinal, as Ps. i. 5 some his- 
torical, as Ps. Ixxvii. cv. cvi.5 
some prophetic, as Ps. ex. j 
some penitential, as Ps. li. j 
some consist of prayer and 
complaints, as Ps. vi. xxxviii. 
&c. ; others consist of praise 
and thanksgiving, as Ps. xxx. 
46 5 cxlv. cl. &c. In some, 
most or all of these subjects 
are connected, as Ps. lxxxix 



PSA 



201 



PUB 



The Jews divided the en- 
tire collection into five books, 
at tl.e end of four of which 
are the words "Amen, amen," 
and of the fifth " Hallelujah." 
The first division ends at the 
40th psalm, the second at the 
72d. the third at the 83th, the 
fourth at the 105th, and the fifth 
at the 150th. The words at 
the conclusion are thought to 
have been put there by Ezra. 
The book itself forms an in- 
estimable treasure, and is the 
glory of the Old Testament. 
It contains the grandest con- 
ceptions of God, the most 
remarkable prophecies, and 
the most perfect models of 
resignation, faith, and trust 
in God. Luther says H all 
sorts of divine doctrines and 
precepts are contained in it." 

Whether the titles of the 
Psalms are of divine author- 
ity, is not agreed. The He- 
brew words therein mention- 
ed, are by some considered 
as names of instruments of 
music, or first words of some 
songs ; or to denote the sub- 
ject matter of the psalm. It 
is thought Maschil means a 
poem, or set composition ; and 
signifies, that the psalm is 
designed for instruction, Ps. 
xxxii. 5 that Mir'itam denotes 
the precious or golden nature 
of the psalm ; and perhaps 
all the psalms so marked re- 
late to Jesus Christ, as Gus- 
setius observes. Neginoth, 
or Neginath, signifies stringed 
instruments, Ps. iv. lxi. ; Ne- 
hilolh, wind instruments 5 Ps. 



v. j Giltitk, a kind of instru- 
ment invented at Gath, Ps. 
viii. ; Alamoth, the treble, or 
a song to be sung by virgins, 
Ps. xlvi. Shiggaion, or Shi' 
gionoth, may denote that the 
psalm is to be sung with di- 
versified tunes, or embraces 
various subjects. Ps. vii. 
Hab. iii. The Greek word, 
signifying a stringed instru- 
ment, is psalierion. Hence, 
by a metaphor, the book of 
Psalms is sometimes called 
the Psalter. 

PSAL'TERY, a musical 
instrument, first mentioned in 
the Psalms of David. It 
seems to have been shaped 
much like the present harp 3 
or the Greek letter delta in- 
verted, thus, v. The body 
was of wood, hollow 5 and 
Josephus says it had twelve 
strings. The chords were at 
first of flax, but subsequently 
were manufactured from the 
entrails of sheep. Harp 
strings of the latter kind are 
mentioned by Homer as a re- 
cent invention. 

The modern psaltery is a 
flat instrument, of a triangular 
form, strung from side to side, 
with iron or brass wire, and 
played on v/ith a kind of bow. 

PTOLEMA'IS, a seaport 
in Galilee of Judea, now 
called Acre. Acts xxi. 7. 
See Accho. 

PUBLICAN, a collector 
of taxes. The Romans farm- 
ed out their revenue to men 
who paid into the treasury 
of the state a certain sum, and 



PUN 



202 



P UT 



took the risk of collecting. 
Contracts were generally tak- 
en by principal men, who let 
out small districts to collect- 
ors for specified sums. Print- 
ing not being known, and 
the laws little understood, 
these inferior agents generally 
committed gross impositions 
and extortions. They were 
therefore greatly hated by 
the Jews, whose pride was 
mortified by having to pay 
tribute at all. Matthew, Zac- 
cheus, and probably other 
publicans, became disciples 
of Christ. Luke xv. 2. Matt, 
xxi. 31. 

PUL, (1.) A king of As- 
syria, hired by the king of 
Israel to assist him. 2 Kings 
xv. 19. Hos. v. 13. (2.) A 
district in Africa, thought by 
Bochart to be an island in the 
Nile not far from Syene. Isa. 
Ixvi. 19. 

PULSE, the seed of legu- 
minous plants, as peas, vetch- 
es, beans, &,c. Lev. xxiii. 
14. 2 Sam. xvii. 28. 

PUNISHMENT, suffering 
for sin. Taken exactly, it 
means the infliction of de- 
served evil. When used in 
reference to our Saviour, it 
means sufferings instead of 
the penalty which sinners 
would have endured, but for 
his standing in their place. 
See Isa. liii. 4 — 11. 1 Pet. ii. 
14. Rev. v. 9, &c. 

The Civil Punishments 
of the Jews were, (1.) Re- 
taliation ; (2.) Fines j (3.) 
Scourging} (4.) Imprison- 



ment, which was somttimei 
accompanied by confinement 
to painful postures ; (5.) 
Death. Tyrants sometimes 
invented cruel punishments, 
such as putting out the eyes, 
Jud. xvi. 21 j cutting off mem- 
bers of the body. Jud. i. 5 — 7, 

PU'RIM is the plural of 
Pur, and means lots. It is 
the name of a solemn feast 
among the Jews, in commem- 
oration of Hainan's over- 
throw. It derives its name 
from the circumstance that 
Haman cast lots to ascertain 
the best day for destroying 
the Jews. Est. iii. 7, and ix. 
26. 

PURPLE, a color much 
worn by kings and emperors. 
Mark xv. 17. It is the fa- 
mous Tyrian dye, so costly, 
and so celebrated in antiqui- 
ty. It is called in 1 Maccab. 
iv. 23, u purple of the sea." 
It was made from the blood 
of a shell-fish ; plenty of which 
were found in the sea, on the 
north-west of Canaan, and 
are now found about the Car- 
ibbee Islands, and other parts 
of America, and on the west 
of England. 

PUTE'OLI, a city of Cam- 
pania, in Italy} so called from 
its hot waters, or the multi- 
tude of its we^s. Its ancient 
name was Delus Minor. It 
stood about eight miles from 
Naples, and was much fre- 
quented on account of its 
mineral waters. From hence 
a considerable trade was ca:- 
ried on with Alexandria, ir 






QUA 



203 



RAB 



1 Egypt. Paul halted here seven 
-days, as he went prisoner to 
I Rome. Acts xxviii. 13. We 
find several of its bishops in the 
primitive councils of the Chris- 
tian church. The present name 
of the place is Buzzoli. 

PY'GARG, a species of 
gazelle or antelope, about the 
size of our deer. It is prob- 
ably the addace of the an- 
cients. The word occurs 
Deut. xiv. 5, only. 



Q. 



QUAIL, a gallinaceous 
bird, somewhat less in size 
than the turtle dove. Quails 
are extremely numerous in 
warm countries. Ex. xvi. 13. 
Numb. xi. 31, 32. The ac- 
counts of travellers respect- 
ing the immense flocks of this 
bird, render the account in 
Scripture perfectly credible. 
In Numb. xi. 31, it says "they 
fell two cubits high upon the 
face of the earth. n The word 
high is not in the original. It 
means they lighted so thick as 
to be only two cubits apart; or 
came down within two cubits 
of the surface of the ground. 
QUATERNION, a file, 
consisting of four soldiers. 
Peter was placed under the 
care of four quaternions, in 
order, probably, that each 
might guard him three hours 
it a time. See Watch. 



QUEEN often means in 
Scripture a king's mother. A 
reference to this fact will re- 
move several apparent discre- 
pancies in the Old Testament. 
The word has still the same 
meaning among Orientals.. 

QUEEN OF HEAVEN, 
a name given by Hebrew 
idolaters to the moon. Jer. 
vii. 17 ; xliv. 16—18. 

QUICK. The living flesh, 
the sensible part of the body. 
Those persons who shall be 
alive at the resurrection, are 
called the quick, in distinc- 
tion from those who will arise 
from the dead. Acts x. 42. 
To give spiritual life to sin- 
ners is called quickening 
them. Eph. ii. 1—5. 

QUIT, to acquit. Josh. ii. 
20. 1 Sam. iv. 9. Christians, 
in their great conflict with sin 
and temptation, are to '* quit 
themselves as men." 1 Cor. 
xvi. 13. 



R. 

RAB'BATH, the capital 
of the Ammonites, was situ- 
ated in the mountains of Gil- 
ead, beyond Jordan. It was 
a famous city, even in the 
time of Moses. Deut. iii. 11. 
Here Uriah lost his life, by a 
secret order from David. 2 
Sam. xi. xii. It was destroyed, 
according to prophecy, Ezek. 
xxv. b. Amos i 14, a few 



RAC 



It Al 



years after the destruction of 
Jerusalem. It was by Ptole- 
my called Philadelphia, 
and is so named on our maps 
of Palestine. Its present 
name is Amman. 

RABBI, a name of dignity 
among- the Jews, signifying 
doctor or master. It was be- 
stowed on any learned man, 
but especially on very eminent 
teachers of their law. The 
rabbi was ruler of the syna- 
gogue, decided all religious 
disputes, and received the 
utmost homage. Our Saviour 
exhorts the disciples not to 
use such distinctions and titles, 
but to look to him as their 
only Lawgiver and Teacher, 
whom they were to follow in 
all matters of faith and wor- 
ship. Matt, xxiii. 7, 8. 

RABBONI, a derivative 
from rabbi. It was a greater 
title than rabbi, and was 
never formally conferred, ex- 
cept on a few extraordinary 
doctors of the school of Hillei. 
John xx. 16. 

RACA, a Syriac word, 
meaning a silly fellow. A 
term used by the Jews to ex- 
press the utmost contempt. 
Matt, v. 20. 

RACE, a rapid course, 
generally implying contest. 
The numerous allusions to 
Grecian foot races, contained 
in Paul's Epistles, require 
some knowledge of the laws 
of those games. The apostle 
says, 1 Cor. ix. 24, " Know 
ye not that they who run in a 
3ce, run all, but one [only] 



receiveth the prize ? So run 
that ye may obtain." And 
" every one who striveth is 
temperate," &c. Also, 2 
Tim. ii. 5, " If a man strive 
for masteries, yet is he not 
crowned except he strive law 
fully." See also Heb. xii. 1. 
Gal. v. 7, &c. Plutarch and 
Cicero describe most extrav- 
agant honors and emoluments 
given to victors, especially at 
the Olympic games. Homer 
declares that men could gain 
no higher honors than those 
won by strength and fleetness ! 
Those persons who designed 
to contend in these games, 
were obliged to repair to the 
public gymnasium ten months 
before the solemnity, where 
they prepared themselves by 
continual exercises. No man 
who had omitted to present 
himself in this manner, was 
allowed to contend for any 
of the prizes ; nor were the 
accustomed rewards of vic- 
tory given to such persons, if 
by any means they introduced 
themselves, and overcame 
their antagonists. 

RAILING, insolent, re 
proachful language. Chris 
tians are strictly forbidden it 
1 Cor. v. 11. When we are 
thus reviled, we must return 
blessing. 1 Pet. iii. 9. 

RAIMENT was at first 
made of the skins of beasts, 
Gen. iii. 21 ; but the art of 
spinning and weaving was 
soon invented, Ex. xxviii. 42, 
and even embroidering, Ex. 
xxxv. 35, which became com 



RA I 



205 



RAI 



mon in the days of the judges. 
The common garment, in the 
days of Christ, was a sort of 
shirt or tunic, reaching to the 
ankles, generally with sleeves, 
but sometimes having only 
arm-holes. A girdle confined 
it at the waist. Over this ; 
various garments were worn, 
according to the quality of 
the person. All classes wore 
something in the form of a 
large shawlxalled a " cloak," 
or " upper garment." Matt. 
xxi. 8. When a person had 
nothing on but the tunic, he 
was said to be "naked." John 
xxi. 7. Persons could carry 
various articles in the folds of 
their shawl, Luke vi. 38 j and 
at night, in that climate, they 
rarely needed any other bed- 
clothes. See Ex. xxii. 26, 27. 
Around this outer garment 
the ancient Jews were accus- 
tomed to have a border or 
fringe, sometimes marked 
with texts of Scripture. The 
Pharisees, through ostentation, 
made theirs remarkably large. 
Matt, xxiii. 5. When en- 
gaged in laborious work, this 
outer garment was laid aside, 
as by our Saviour, when he 
washed his disciples' feet, 
John xiii. 4; and Peter, when 
he fished, John xxi. 7. This 
explains, also, Matt. xxiv. 18. 
These upper garments would 
of course fit persons of any 
size, equally well. To give 
raiment was therefore com- 
mon j and especially when 
opulent or eminent men gave 
rich entertainments. In such 
18 



cases, not to accept and put 
on the proffered robe, was c 
great affront. Matt. xxii. 12 
See Vail, Sanhals, &c. 

RAIN was plentiful in Is 
rael twice a year. u The early 
and the latter rain" occurred 
the former in September, the 
latter in March. After these 
the weather becomes settled 
and about May the grain is 
gathered. In Egypt, it scarce- 
ly ever rains j the overflow o. 
the Nile, and copious dews, 
answering the purpose. In 
tropical climates, the winter is 
the rainy season. Violent 
winds often attend these rains, 
and overthrow insecure hous- 
es. Hence our Saviour's par- 
able. Matt. vii. 25. 

RAINBOW, a splendid 
arch consisting of all the col- 
ors formed by the refraction 
and reflection of the rays ol 
light by rain or vapor. It al- 
ways appears opposite the 
sur, and never when he m 
higher than 42 degrees above 
the horizon. Many critics 
have supposed that previous 
to the flood this beautiful 
bow had not appeared. If not, 
the confirmation to Noah's 
faith must have been exceed- 
ingly effectual. Its appear- 
ance, though now common, 
continues to be a gracious 
token that the earth shall not 
again be covered with waters. 
Gen. ix. 8—17. 

RAISINS, dried grapes. 
They are much used for food 
in many countries, and are 
considered very wholesome 



RAM 



206 



RA V 



RAM, a male sheep. See 
Sheep. Battering rams 
were used, before the inven- 
tion of cannon, to destroy the 
fortifications of cities. This 
machine was a huge log of 
timber, with an iron head at 
one end, suspended by the 
middle to elevated poles, and 
driven violently against the 
wall, by great numbers of 
men, until a breach was ef- 
fected. A shelter was erect- 
ed to defend these men from 
archers on the walls. Ezek. 
iv. 2, and xxi. 22. 

RAMAH, a city of Ben- 
jamin, which stood 8 miles 
northward from Jerusalem, 
Josh, xviii. 25, and, being on a 
hill, was visible from thence. 
Near to it Deborah dwelt. 
Jud. iv. 5. Elkanah and Sam- 
uel resided in it, 1 Sam. i. 1, 
19. vii. 17. viii. 4. xxv. I. ; and 
at Najoth, or the meadows of 
Ramah, was a college of 
young prophets. 1 Sam. xix. 
There was another Ramah on 
the west border of Naphtali, 
Josh. xix. 36 ; also a Ramath 
or Ramoth, which we suppose 
the same as Baalath-beer, in 
the lot of Simeon, Joshua 
xix. 8. 1 Sam. xxx. 27, (see 
Gilead,) and also a Ramoth, 
Remeth, or Jarmuth, in the 
lot of Issachar. Josh. xix. 21. 

RAM-SKINS, dyed red, 
were used in the construction 
of the tabernacle. Dr. Clarke 
has proved from Homer, Pliny, 
and modern travellers, that 
there are rams whose natural 
color is red. From this fact 



the fable of the golden fleece 
may have had its origin. 

RANSOM, the price paid 
for the pardon of an ofience. 
or the redemption of a slave 
or captive. Prov. vi. 35. Ex. 
xxi. 30. To prevent the plague 
and make ceremonial atone- 
ment for their souls, all male 
Hebrews of adult age paid half 
a shekel yearly, as a ransom. 
Ex. xxx. 12. The obedience and 
death of Christ are the proper 
ransom and price of our deliv- 
erance from sin and misery. 
Matt. xx. 28. Job xxxiii. 24. 

RAVEN, a bird about the 
size of a pullet. Its color 
is black, and its voice harsh 
and doleful. It delights in 
solitude, and lives on carrion, 
&c. The raven which Noah 
sent forth, did not return, 
probably because it found rest 
and food on the flouting car- 
casses. It has by all nations 
been considered a disgusting 
and hateful bird j but es- 
pecially so to the Jews, whose 
laws pronounced it unclean. 
How striking, therefore, is the 
argument of God's paternal re- 
gard to all his creatures, de- 
rived from his care of this 
bird! Job xxxviii. 41. He not 
only feeds the ravens, but, if 
killed, he cares for their un- 
fledged young. " He giveth 
food to the young ravens which 
cry." Ps. cxlvii. 9. If the 
Lord takes care of ravens, 
how confidently may his peo- 
ple trust him ! Luke xii. 
24. The raven is a striking 
emblem of unconverted mam 



RED 



207 



REF 



RAZOR. See Shave. 

REASON, the power by 
which we discover and appre- 
hend truth. True religion is 
altogether a reasonable ser- 
vice, Rom. xii. 1 j but, though 
reason can see its reasonable- 
ness and excellence, when re- 
vealed, it could not, by the 
mere light of nature, discover 
fully the character and pleas- 
ure of God. The province of 
reason in religion, is, to exam- 
ine the evidences of the au- 
thenticity of Scripture, and, 
this being ascertained, it is to 
be employed in understanding 
the whole will of God, as there 
revealed. 

RE'CHABITES,a tribe of 
Midianites, who lived in tents, 
and roamed the country for 
pasture, as the Arabs and 
Tartars now do. Their origin 
and manner of life are de- 
scribed 2 Kings x. 15—23. Jer. 
xxxv. 5 — 7. It is thought 
that some tribes dwelling on 
the north-east of Medina are 
descendants of the ancient 
Rechabites. 

RECONCILIATION^ re- 
storing to favor, or reunion 
between those who had been 
at variar.ce. See Atone- 
ment, and Expiation. 

REDEEM, to buy back 
what was sold, pledged or 
forfeited. Luke i. 68. The 
word is derived from a Latin 
word signifying to buy again. 
In the Greek Testament sever- 
al words are used in relation 
to the saints' deliverance from 
hell, which signify obtaining 



something by paying a pri^e. 
1 Crr. vi. 20. Gal. iii. 13. J 
Pet. i. 18. 

REDEEMER, one who 
ransoms by paying the price. 
Jesus Christ redeemed us by 
suffering in our stead tl e 
penalty of the divine law. 
1 Pet. i. 19. 

RED SEA. See Sea. 

REED, (1.) A tall, hollow, 
jointed plant, growing in fen- 
ny places, much used in hot 
countries, where the plant 
abounds, for buildings, car- 
riages, &C&C. In this country 
it is employed for fishing rods, 
weavers' reeds, &c. It was 
anciently used for writing, and 
answered to the word u pen." 
3 John, 13. The use of quills. 
for writing cannot be traced 
further back than toIsiDORUS, 
who died in a. d. 636. (2.) An 
instrument of music like a flute. 
When our Lord said, " a 
bruised reed he would not 
break," it is not certain 
whether he alluded to the 
plant or the instrument ; but 
in reference to either, the al- 
lusion is highly instructive. 
(3.) A measure of nine feet. 

REFUGE, a place of safe- 
ty to which a person may fly 
in case of danger. The Lord 
commanded Moses to appoint 
six cities of refuge for those 
who slew any one unintention- 
ally. Josh. xx. 7—9. The 
roads to these were required 
to be 58 feet wide, and kept 
in perfect repair, with bridges 
over the streams, and guide- 
boards, marked Refuge, point- 



RE G 



208 



REI 



mg the way at every corner. 
This arrangement strikingly 

typified the Lord Jesus. God 
is called the Refuge of his 
people! Deut. xxxiii. 27, as he 
defends them against all the 
assaults of their enemies. 
Jesus Christ is the only refuge 
for sinners. 

A refuge of lies means a 
false hope. Isa. xxviii. 17. 

REGENERATION, the 
new birth, or a spiritual 
change from a carnal to a 
Christian life. This renova- 
tion of tiie soul, with all its 
affections, is effected by the 
spirit and grace of God, and 
is called the new birtk. It 
consists in the infusion of 
spiritual life into the soul, 
whereby it is enabled to per- 
form spiritual actions, and to 
live unto God. Tit. iii. 5. It 
differs from conversio7i } be- 
cause regeneration is a power 
conferred, and conversion is 
the exercise of that power. 
Regeneration is the principle 
given to turn unto the Lord j 
conversion is our actual turn- 
ing unto him ; regeneration is 
the life itself, conversion its 
motion. It differs from jus- 
tification. Justification ac- 
quits a man from the charge 
of guilt ; regeneration imparts 
a new nature. Justification is 
effected by the obedience, 
death and resurrection of Je- 
sus Christ •, but regeneration 
is the work of the Holy 
Ghost. It differs from adop- 
tion. Adoption entitles to 
heaven, and regeneration is 



that which constitutes our 
meetness for its enjoyment. 

The word is also used for 
that new life which is expect- 
ed at the general resurrection 
and restitution of all things. 
Matt. xix. 28. 

REHOBO'AM, son of Sol- 
omon by an Ammonitess, as- 
cended the throne B. c. 970, 
being then 41 years old ; and 
reigned 17 years. By follow- 
ing the absurd counsel of his 
young companions, he caus- 
ed the revolt of the ten tribes, 
an event productive of infi- 
nite mischief. 

REHO'BOTH, literally 
room ox place. (1.) A city of 
Edom. (2.) A well digged by 
Isaac eastward of Gerar, so 
called because there the Lord 
made room for him to dwell 
Gen. xx vi. 22. 

REIGN, to rule as su 
preme. God, who is the ab- 
solute Monarch of the world, 
reigns in the proper sense of 
the word, as he disposes of all 
things, in heaven and on earth. 

Sin is said to reign, when 
its motions and influences 
are readily obeyed, and it ex- 
ercises an absolute, uncon- 
trolled power in the soul. 
Rom. vi. 12. 

Grace is said to reign, 
when we are governed by the 
impulses of the Holv Spirit. 

REINS, the loins or kid 
The word is used in 
Scripture, like the word 
heart, to signify the disposi- 
tions and affections of the 
mind. Ps. vii. 9. Jer. xii. 2. 



REP 



209 



REP 



RELIGION, the inward 
and spiritual knowledge and 
belief of divine truth. It is 
manifested in a proper ac- 
knowledgment of God, and 
obedience to him 3 and in 
showing proper regard to 
men, chiefly such as are in 
distress. Jam. i. 27. The 
word is used also to denote 
any system of faith and wor- 
! ship in distinction from others. 
REMPHAN, an Egyptian 
idol. The learned are xery 
little agreed who this god 
! was. Some are very peremp- 
tory, and others quite despair 
of ascertaining. The Israel- 
ites worshipped this false god, 
calling him Chiun. Amos v. 
26. Probably it was Saturn. 
Acts vii. 43. 

REPENTANCE, grief for 
sin, a change of mind by 
which we wish any part of 
our conduct undone. Evan- 
gelical repentance is that 
saving grace wrought in the 
heart of a sinner by the Holy 
Ghost, by which the sinner 
turns from a course of diso- 
bedience, and sincerely en- 
deavors to live unblamably 
before God, in the expectation 
of forgiveness through the 
merits of Christ. Matt.iii. 2, 
&,c. The repentance which 
Esau sought with tears, was 
not his own regret, which of 
course he could and did ex- 
ercise, but a change of pur- 
pose in his father. When it 
; /s said, Rom. xi. 29, " the 
1 £ifts and calling of God are 
i without repentance/' it means 
18* 



that his purposes of love to 
his people are unalterable. 

REPETITIONS. The 
vain repetitions blamed by 
our Saviour, Matt. vi. 7, 
were lifeless forms of prayer 
frequently repeated. It is to 
be feared many of our prayers 
are little better. The papists 
openly make a merit of fre- 
quently repeating in a given 
time the same prayer. 

REPH'AIM,a valley near 
Jerusalem, fruitful in wheat. 
Isaiah xvii. 5. It seems to 
have had its name from the 
giants that anciently inhabit- 
ed it. Here the host of the 
Philistines encamped fre- 
quently. 1 Chr. xi. 15. 

REPH'IDIM, a place east 
of the Red Sea, where the 
Hebrews tempted God, and 
quarrelled with Moses for 
want of water. It was there- 
fore called Meribah, conten- 
tion 5 and Massah, tempta- 
tion. Ex. xvii. 7, 8. 

REPROBATE, rejected; 
given up to sin ; lost to vir- 
tue ; fatally erroneous in sen- 
timent. A reprobate mind is 
one whose conscience is cal- 
lous. Men are reprobate to 
every good work, when utterly 
averse to doing or permitting 
others to do good. Tit. i. 16. 

REPROOF, blame charg- 
ed upon a person to his face ; 
or admonition upon account 
of some fault. Reproof re- 
quires the utmost care and 
prudence in the person by 
whom it is administered, or it 
may exasperate ; and make the 



RES 



210 



RES 



offender sin the more. Unless 
circumstances imperiously re- 
quire it, let it never be done 
publicly, but always in secret. 
Make it evident that the good 
of the transgressor is the sole 
motive of your censure 3 that 
it is a painful task, to which 
you are urged by a sense of 
duty, and prompted by the 
most tender solicitude for his 
happiness. Let not an air of 
self-importance, an angry 
countenance, or a wrathful 
tone of expression, discover 
itself in your rebukes. You 
must feel, and you a*e allow- 
ed to feel ', but it is to be the 
feeling- of Christianity 5 that 
is, pity, kindness, and the 
most sincere affection for the 
offender himself. Not his per- 
son, but his sin, and his sin 
alone, is to be the object of 
your indignation ; and every 
admonition should be accom- 
panied with fervent prayer to 
God for his blessing- on your 
efforts to do good. '* As an 
ear-ring of gold, and an or- 
nament of fine gold, so is a 
wise reprover upon an obedi- 
ent ear. 77 

RE REWARD, the rear- 
guard. Josh. vi. 13. God 
promises to be the rereward 
cfhis people, defending them, 
as they press on their march, 
from unseen enemies behind. 
Isa. Hi. 12. 

REST, (1.) A ceasing 
from bodily labor. (2.) The 
quietness of sleep or death. 
(3.) That peace with God and 
in their own consciences, 



which believers enjoy in this 
world, Matt. xi. 29, arising 
from a cheerful confidence in 
the promises and providence 
of God. Ps. cxvi. 7. (4.) A 
quiet and secure habitation, 
such as was promised to the 
Israelites in the land of Ca- 
naan, which was also a type 
of that eternal rest in the 
heavenly Canaan, where the 
saints shall enjoy a never-end- 
ing blessedness in the pres- 
ence of God, at the termina- 
tion of all the toils and trou- 
bles of this life. Heb. iv. 9. 

RESTITUTION, (I.) The 
restoring of any thing to its 
former state. Acts iii. 21. (2.) 
The returningofathingunjust- 
ly gotten, or making amends 
for an injury. This is very par- 
ticularly enjoined in the law 
of Moses. Ex. xxi. Lev. xxiv. 
Deut. xix. It was done at the 
reformation under Nehemiah, 
Neh. v. 10, 11 ; and by Zach- 
eus,who, following the Roman 
law, agreed to restore four- 
fold. Luke xix. 8. 

RESURRECTION, the 
act of rising from the dead, or 
returning to life. It commonly 
means the general resurrec- 
tion at the last day, or the 
end of the world, Job xix. 25 
—27 5 John v. 28, 29 5 when 
we must stand before the 
judgment-seat of Christ, and 
be admitted to eternal happi- 
ness, or doomed to endless 
misery. The doctrine of the 
resurrection was unknown to 
the wisest heathens, and is 
peculiar to the Bible. They 



REV 



211 



REW 



had some glimmerings of the 
soul's immortality, but no 
knowledge of the reviving of 
the body. The resurrection 
of Christ is a clear and evi- 
dent proof that our debt has 
been paid, and that divine 
justice has received full sat- 
isfaction. On this doctrine of 
Christ's power over death, 
which was most solemnly pub- 
lished to the world, is built 
our faith in his promises, and 
our hope of life and glory. 
Rom. iv. 25. A grain of corn 
sown in the earth is the im- 
age made use of by our Sa- 
viour and the apostle Paul to 
represent the resurrection. 
John xii. 24. 1 Cor. xv. 36. 

REVEAL, to disclose. 
Christ was revealed, when he 
came in the flesh. The wrath 
of God is revealed when sin- 
ners are made to suffer his 
open judgments. 

REVELATION, a discov- 
er}\ The sacred Scriptures 
are a revelation, or disclosure 
of God's will to man. 

The last book, being the 
declarations of John in refer- 
ence to futurity, is called the 
Revelation, from its contain- 
ing such minute and ample 
predictions of the state of 
the church in future ages. It 
is commonly called the 
Apocalypse. According to 
Eichhorn and others, it was 
written about a. d. 70 5 but 
critics generally assign the 
year 95 or 96 as its true date. 
To understand this book is 
very difficult, and parts of 



it are incapable of illustration 
till providence is further 
unfolded. In general, it may 
be said that the stars, sun, 
and moon, &c. mean the great 
men of the earth. The num- 
bers are seldom to be taken 
arithmetically. Most of the 
prediction's were probably ful- 
filled in the early age of the 
church. 

REVENGE, to vent dis- 
pleasure upon a person for a 
real or imaginary fault. Men 
revenge themselves because 
they are too easily offended, 
and too much influenced by 
the impulses of passion and 
self-love. But when it is said 
in Scripture, that God re- 
venges himself, it means no 
more than that he vindicates 
the injuries done to his justice 
and his majesty ; to the order 
he has established in the 
world 5 and to his servants ; 
because he is just, and order 
and justice must be preserv- 
ed. 

REVENGER of Blood, 
a name given to the person 
who had a right, under Jew- 
ish customs, to take the life of 
him who had killed his rela 
tion. See Refuge. 

REWARD, recompense. 
Good men's reward is on 
high, not on earth. Raphelius 
has shown,saysDr. Doddridge, 
that misthos not only signifies 
reward of debt, but reward of 
grace, and that the phrase 
misthon doregen occurs i^japi 
Herodotus 3 so that the phra^Jj 
11 reward of grace," Rom. iv 



RIG 



212 



Rl N 



4, is a classical, as well as 
theological expression. 

RHE'GIUM, a seaport of 
the kingdom of Naples, about 
opposite to Messina, in Sicily. 
It is said to have been origi- 
nally built by a colony from 
Chalcis. Paul doubtless 
preached here at his visit. 
Acts xxviii. 13, though Luke 
does not record the fact. Its 
present name is Reggio. 

RHODES, an island of the 
Mediterranean Sea, north- 
east of Crete, and ranked for 
dignity and size next to Cy- 
prus and Lesbos, being about 
120 miles in circumference. 
It had its name, Rodos. a rose, 
from the multitude of roses that 
grew on it. On this island 
was a famous colossal statue 
standing across the entrance 
of the harbor. The Rhodians 
were famous about the time of 
the Trojan war. The most 
ancient cities were Lindus, 
Camirus, and Jalysus ; but 
Rhodes eclipsed all the rest, 
and is still a place of note. 
Acts xxi. 1. 

RIGHTEOUSNESS, (1.) 
That upright life and conver- 
sation which proceed from a 
pious disposition, inclining us 
to render the worship due to 
God, and be just in our deal- 
ings with all men. It signi- 
fies also, (2.) That perfection 
of the divine nature, whereby 
God is most holy in himself, 
and most just in all his deal- 
ings with his creatures. (3.) 
The active and passive obe- 
dience of Christ. Christ is 



called " the Lord oui Right- 
eousness," as being the Pro- 
curer and Bestower of all the 
righteousness and holiness 
which believers possess. 

RIGHT HAND is in 
Scripture a symbol of power. 
Ex. xv. 6. Ps. xxi. 8. The 
word is also used to mean 
southward, as the Jews al- 
ways spoke of the east as be- 
fore them, and the wesibehind. 

RIMMON, or Rem mo n, 
(1.) A city belonging to the 
Simeonites, 25 miles south- 
west of Jerusalem. Josh. xix. 
7. Neh. xi. 29. (2.) Remmon- 
meihoar, a city of Zebulun, 
given to the Levites. Josh, 
xix. 13. 1 Chr. vi. 77. (3.) A 
steep rock near Gibeah,whith- 
er six hundred Benjamites 
fled when the rest of their 
tribe was destroyed. Jud. xx. 
45. (4.) A principal idol of 
the Syrians, worshipped at 
Damascus. The name signi- 
fies elevation ; but whether 
that idol be the Elion, or Most 
High, of the Phoenicians, or 
Saturn, or Venus, is not 
agreed. Perhaps he was 
none of all these, but Jupiter 
Cassius. 

RING. The wearing of 
rings is a very ancient cus- 
tom. Gen. xxiv. 22. It was an 
ensign of authority in princes 
and great men. Thus, when 
Pharaoh committed the gov- 
ernment of all Egypt to Jo- 
seph, he took the ring from 
his finger, and gave it to him 
Ahasuerus gave his ring to hi? 
favorite Haman, and grant 



ROD 



213 



ROM 



ed the same favor to Mor- 
decai, who succeeded Haman 
in his dignity. It is also used 
as an emblem of conjugal fi- 
delity, and a constant memo- 
rial of the marriage vow. 

RING-STREAKED, hav- 
ing circular streaks or lines on 
the body, as we often see on 
cattle. Gen. xxx. 35. 

RIVER, a large stream of 
water. The rivers mentioned 
in Scripture are the Jordan, 
Kishon, Jabbok, Arnoii, Aba- 
na. Pharpar, Euphrates, Hid- 
dikel, Gihon, Pison, Chebar, 
Ahavah, and Ulai. The Nile 
is alluded to, but is not men- 
tioned by name. " From the 
river to the ends of the earth," 
means from the Euphrates to 
the end of the then known 
world. No river in Pales- 
tine withstands the drought of 
summer but the Jordan, and 
that becomes greatly dimin- 
ished. The others, though 
torrents in the rainy season, 
become mere rivulets in sum- 
mer, and sometimes wholly 
disappear. Job compares false 
friends to such. Job vi. 15. 

ROBE. See Raiment. 
Jesus's imputed righteousness 
is a robe, which beautifies, 
warms, and protects our souls. 
Isa. lxi. 10. 

ROD, (1.) A small branch 
of a tree. Gen. xxx. 37. (2.) 
A staff for walking. Ex. iv. 4. 
(3.) A shepherd's crook. Ps. 
xxiii.4. (4.) A measuring reed, 
used by surveyors. (5.) A 
sceptre, and hence put for pow- 
er and authority. Isa. xiv. 5. 



ROE, a small species of 
deer, exceedingly beautiful 
and swift. 2 Sam. ii. 18. It 
is, no doubt, the gazelle or an- 
telope, which is called roe in 
Scripture. It is about 2£ 
feet high, is gregarious, has 
horns a foot long, short erect 
tail, and beautiful eyes. It 
abounds in Palestine, Arabia, 
and Egypt, and is excellent 
food. 1 Chr. xii. 8. Cant. ii. 
8, 9, &c. The ancient meth- 
od of catching this animal 
was by a net. Prov vi. 5. 

ROLL, a book. Ezra vi. 2. 
Jer. xxxvi. Ezek. iii. Before 
the invention of the present 
manner of binding, writings 
were rolled on a staff. Such 
are now used in the Hebrew 
synagogues. See the cut un- 
der Book. 

ROMANS, the first epis- 
tolary book of the New Tes- 
tament. Paul is declared to 
be the writer of this and 
twelve others ; besides which 
the Epistle to the Hebrews is 
generally imputed to him. 
Paul had never been at Rome 
when he wrote this Epistle. It 
was called forth by his having 
heard of their condition, and 
especially of the difficulties 
existing between the Jewish 
and the Gentile members. 

ROME, for a long time the 
most noted city in the world. 
It was built by the Etrurians. 
Romulus enlarged it about 
the time of Hezekiah, king of 
Judah, that is, A. m. 3254. It 
gradually increased, till it ex- 
tended over seven hills. The 



ROM 



214 



ROU 



river Tiber runs through it ; 
affording water to the city, 
and carrying off the filth 
which is conveyed to it by 
sewers under ground. Its 
walls seem never to have 
been above thirteen miles in 
circumference j but it had a 
vast extent of suburbs. In 
the time of Romulus, it con- 
tained about three thousand 
inhabitants, and in the time 
of Augustus, two millions. 
Christianity was early plant- 
ed here, and has continued 
to this day, though for ages 
obscured by popish supersti- 
tions. Most of its early pas- 
tors suffered martyrdom. 
While the Romans governed 
a great part of the world, 
they were in the habit, either 
for money or good deeds, or 
of free favor, of conferring 
the right of citizens on some 
who were not of their nation, 
and even sometimes on the 
inhabitants of a whole city. 
In this sense, Paul and Silas 
were Romans, and had a le- 
gal title to all the privileges 
of the citizens of Rome, by 
having been born in a free 
city. Acts xvi. 37, 38 ; xxii. 
25, 26, 27. The present pop- 
ulation of this city is only 
154,000; but the territories 
of the pope embrace 13,000 
square miles, and a popula- 
tion of two millions and a 
half. Not more than about 
the third part of what is with- 
in the walls is now inhabited. 
It is noted for many fine an- 
cient ruins, for St. Peter's 



church, which was one hun 
dred years in building, and 
for the Vatican, or winter 
palace of the pope, which 
consists of about 12,500 cham- 
bers, halls, and closets, and 
has a famed library, garden, 
and arsenal. Its hospitals 
are remarked for their excel- 
lent regulations ; but the in 
habitants are licentious to an 
uncommon degree. 

ROOF, the covering of a 
house. The Jews had theirs 
flat, for walking, or erecting 
booths on, and a battlement 
breast high around, to prevent 
any one falling from them. 
As this rendered them private 
places, they often performed 
their devotions on them. 
Acts x. 9. 

ROSE, the queen of flow- 
ers. From the frequent con- 
nection of the lily with this 
flower, when spoken of in 
Scripture, it seems evident 
that the wild rose must be 
meant, which in all hot coun- 
tries is extremely beautiful. 
Christ is compared to it. 
Song ii. 1. " The wilderness 
shall blossom as the rose," 
when Christianity restores 
this wilderness world to order 
and beauty. Isa. xxxv. 1. 
In the East Indies, an extract 
is made, called " otter of 
roses," which is very costly, 
and the most exquisite per- 
fume in nature. 

ROUGH, coarse, rugged, 
uneven. By the powerful 
preaching of John the Baptist, 
the " rough places were mad* 



RUS 



215 



RYE 



>lain ;" that is, people of the 
( nost ignorant and hardened 
description were, through di- 
/ine grace, humbled, and pre- 
pared to receive the full 
.ruths of Christ's mission and 
ninistry. Luke iii. 5. 

RUBY, a beautiful gem, 
}f a red color, of great hard- 
less and lustre, but seldom 
found larger than a grape 
seed. A perfect ruby, above 
,3^ carats ui size, exceeds in 
value a diamond of equal 
i\ze. A deep-colored ruby, 
exceeding 20 carats in weight, 
is called carbuncle. Wherev- 
er the word occurs, it should 
be translate^ pearls. 

RUE, a useful medicinal 
plant, common in gardens. It 
has an unpleasant smell, and a 
bitter, pungent taste. The 
word occurs in Luke xi. 42, 
only. 

RUN, to press on rapidly. 
(As men when running, espe- 
cially for a prize, exert them- 
selves earnestly and perse- 
veringly, the frequent use of 
the term, in reference to the 
Christian career, is very im- 
pressive, and ought to alarm 
indolent professors. See 1 
Cor. ix. 24. Heb. xii. 1. 

RUNNERS, persons who 
Iran before the king's chariot, 
or bore messages in haste. 
(They were employed partic- 
ularly to carry into the prov- 
inces tidings of the enactment 
- of any edict or law. 

RUSH, an aquatic plant, 
J common on the banks of the 
i Nile, &c. Job viii. 11. It is 



the same as the bulrush, 
Ex. ii. 3, Isa. xviii. 2, and 
the paper reed. Isa. xix. 7. 
It is the cyperus papyrus of 
Linn t .s:us ; commonly tailed 
11 the Egyptian reed. 7 ' 

The stalk is triangular, 
rising to the height of nine or 
ten feet, beside three or four 
under water, and terminating 
in a crown resembling the 
thistle. See the picture, arti- 
cle Paper. 

RUTH, one of the ances 
tors of our Saviour, who iived 
in the days of Gideon, or per- 
haps of Ehud 5 about 300 
years before Homer flour- 
ished. 

The book of this name is 
thought to have been written 
by Samuel, and forms a sort 
of appendix to the book of 
Judges. The principal scope 
of the book is to record the 
genealogy of Christ in David's 
line. Compare Ruth iv. 18 
—22, with Matt. i. 5, 6. The 
adoption of Ruth, a heathen, 
converted to Judaism, has 
be*m generally considered a 
pre-intimation of the admis- 
sion of the Gentiles into the 
church. A further design of 
this book is, to evince the care 
of Providence over such as 
fear God. 

RYE is mentioned Ex. ix. 
32, and Isa. xxviii. 35. The 
word in the original means 
only bearded, and makes it 
doubtful what grain is meant. 
Some suppose vice to be in* 
tended. 



SAB 



216 



SAB 



s. 

SABACHTHA'NI means 
" Thou hast forsaken me." 
Mark xv. 35. 

SAB'AOTH ; a Hebrew 
word, signifying hosts or ar- 
mies. Jehovah is called " the 
Lord of Sabaoth" because 
the hosts of all creatures are 
his. Angels, ministers, Chris- 
tians, stars, planets, &c. are 
all marshalled xnd ruled by 
the Lord God omnipotent. 
Rom. ix. 29. Jam. v. 4. 

SABBATH, literally rest, 
the holy day. When God 
had made the heavens and 
the earth, in the space of six 
days, he rested on the sev- 
enth, and set it apart for him- 
self, to be occupied in the 
exercises of religion. The 
perpetual obligation of the 
Sabbath is inferable not only 
from the injunction being one 
of the immutable ten com- 
mandments, but from the rea- 
sons which are given for its 
institution being of a moral, 
and not of a ceremonial na- 
ture, and the modes of its ob- 
servance being of universal 
obligation. 

Though it was really the 
seventh day to God, to man, 
who was formed on the even- 
ing of the last day, it was the 
first, and was kept as such 
for ages, though called the 
seventh part of time. Gen. 
ii. 2, 3. In the first institution 
of the Sabbath, it was intended 



to call to mind the wisdom, 
power and goodness of God, 
as they are displayed in the 
creation of the world ; but 
after the return of the children 
of Israel from their state of 
servitude and hard bondage 
in Egypt, that was urged as 
an additional object of recol- 
lection on the Sabbath-day 5 
and also as an additional mo- 
tive to its observance. The 
day was at the same time 
changed, to correspond with 
that memorable event, and to 
preserve the Hebrews more 
effectually from idolatry, by 
making their day of worship 
different from that of the 
heathen. Deut. v. 14, 15. 
Under the Christian dispensa- 
tion, which unites Jews and 
Gentiles, the Sabbath is al- 
tered back again from the 
seventh to the first day of the 
week, on which the Redeemer 
himself rose from the dead. 
On the " first day of the 
week," Jesus Christ made 
repeated visits to his disciples, 
who were evidently assem- 
bled together for religious 
purposes. John xx. 19, 26. 
On the first day of the week, 
the disciples came together to 
break bread and hear Paul 
preach. Acts xx. 7. Upon 
the first day of the week, 
the Corinthians were required 
to lay by their contributions 
for the poor. 1 Cor. xvi. 2. 
And the first day of the week 
is called " the Lord's 
Day." Rev. i. 10. It is to 
be sanctified by a cessation 



SAC 



217 



SAC 



from all worldly affairs ; by a 
remembrance of God in crea- 
tion, providence, and redemp- 
tion ; by meditation, prayer, 
reading the Scriptures, attend- 
ing" public worship, and by 
holy anticipations of that 
eternal Sabbath which re- 
mains for the people of God. 

SABBATICAL YEAR, 
the seventh year, in which 
the land was to have rest. 
Ex. xxiii. Lev. xxv. It 
served to remind Israel of the 
authority and goodness of 
God, to inculcate humanity, 
to befriend the poor, to give 
time for devotion, study, and 
deeds of mercy. 

SABE'AXS, a people of 
Arabia, descendants probably 
of Sheba, the son of Cush. 
It is contended by some, that 
the " queen of Sheba*' was 
from the neighborhood of 
Abyssinia in Africa. 

SACKBUT, a musical in- 
strument, generally thought 
to have had four strings 5 but 
Isidore considers it a kind of 
flute or hautboy. It was 
probably what we call trom- 
bone, as the word seems to 
signify what may be length- 
ened or shortened. 

SACKCLOTH, a coarse 
cloth, made of the hair of 
horses, and coarsest hair of 
camels and goats. It was 
tfc.3 common clothing of very 
poor people, and was much 
used for tents, awnings, &c. 
Elijah and John the Baptist 
wore such 5 indeed, it was 
anciently very common for 
19 



all prophets to be thus hum 
bly clad. Hence, the false 
prophets wore " a rough 
garment to deceive." Zech. 
xiii. 4. It was also used by 
mourners, being of a black 
color. Isa. 1. 3. 

SACRIFICE, an offering 
to God, made on an altar by 
a regular priest. It differed 
from an oblation, which meant 
only the simple offering of a 
gift. The justice of God re- 
quired the death of the of- 
fender; but, being tempered 
with mercy, it accepted a 
sacrifice in his stead. Before 
the giving of the law, every 
man offered as he chose, and 
was his own priest ; but that 
gave rules both as to the things 
to be sacrifices, and the quan- 
tity to be offered j and restrict- 
ed the priesthood to the fam- 
ily of Aaron. In some cases, 
no fire was put to the sacri- 
fice, which was consumed by 
fire from heaven. It is prob- 
able this was the way in 
which Abel's sacrifice was 
accepted. The Hebrews had 
but four sorts of sacrifices, 
viz. 

1. The burnt-offering, or 
holocaust, which was wholly 
consumed, except the skin, 
which was for the priest. 

2. The sin-offering, or sac- 
rifice of expiation, which was 
offered by one who had of- 
fended, to whom no part was 
returned, but the priest had a 
share. See Lev. iv. and v. 

3. The 'peace-offering was 
in thankful return for favors 



SAC 



218 



SAI 



received, or to satisfy private 
devotion, or simply to honor 
God. It was offered at pleas- 
ure, there being no law to re- 
quire it ; and the age or sex 
of the animal was not desig- 
nated. Most of the flesh was 
returned to the offerer, who 
ate it with his friends. See 
\ev. iii. 

4. The trespass-offering 
seems to have been different 
from the sin-offering, both be- 
ing required of the leper. 
Lev. xiv. It might have been 
for particular cases comprised 
in the general rules for sin- 
offerings. Its character is 
not fully understood. 

The perpetual sacrifice was 
the offering of a lamb every 
morn wig at sunrise,and another 
every evening about twilight. 
They were burnt as holo- 
causts, but by a small fire, 
that they might last the longer. 
With each of these was of- 
fered half a pint of wine, half 
a pint of sweet oil, and three 
pints of fine flour. 

All the sacrifices, with their 
several ceremonies, were 
either acknowledgments of 
sin, or images of the punish- 
ment due to it ; and had rela- 
tion to Christ, the gospel Sac- 
rifice, in whom all these types 
had their fulfilment. They 
signified the expiation of 
moral guilt by the sacrifice 
of Christ, who is called the 
Lamb of God, John i. 29 } and 
the Lamb slain from the foun- 
dation of the world. Rev. 
nii. 8. 



SACRILEGE, an outrage 
against holy things or per- 
sons. Idolatry is called sac- 
rilege, as being a crime which 
especially insults Deity. 

SADDUCEES, a sect 
among the Jews, founded by 
Sadoc, who flourished some 
what more than 200 years 
before Christ, and denied the 
existence of angels ai^d spir- 
its, the immortality of thi soul, 
and the resurrection of the 
body. They are accused, 
though not with good proof, 
of rejecting all the books of 
Scripture, except the five 
books of Moses. They were 
strict observers of the law 
themselves, and enforced it 
upon others 5 but, contrary to 
the Pharisees, they kept only 
to the simple text of the law, 
without traditions, explana- 
tions or modifications, and 
maintained that only what 
was written was to be ob- 
served. The Sadducees were 
generally persons of wealth 
and influence. Among the 
modern Jews, there are few, 
if any, nominal Sadducees ; 
but infidelity prevails among 
them to a melancholy extent. 

SAFFRON, the crocus, a 
bulbous plant, common in 
gardens. The flowers are 
considered medicinal. Oc- 
curs in Cant. iv. 14, only. 

SAINTS, converted per- 
sons, Ps. xvi. 3. Phil. iv. 21 5 
they who spend much time in 
religious exercises, and are 
eminent for piety and zeal 
in the cause of God, Ps. xvi. 



SAL 



219 



SAL 



3 5 Heb. vi. 10 ; those blessed 
spirits whom God graciously 
admits to partake of ever- 
lasting glory and blessedness, 
1 Thess. iii. 13 5 Rev. xviii. 
24} the holy angels, Deut. 
xxxiii. 2 5 Jude 14. There 
is no proprieiy in prefixing 
saint to the names of the 
writers of the New Testa- 
ment, any more than to those 
of the Old. It is better to 
say " the evangelist Mat- 
thew," or u Paul the apostle." 

SALLM, where John bap- 
tized, is the same as Salem, 
where Melchisedek was king, 
aear the river Jordan. Gen. 
civ. Jerusalem, called by 
contraction Salem, Ps. lxxvi. 
2, was originally called Jebus. 

SALOME, 'the wife of 
Zebedee, and the mother of 
James and John. She fool- 
ishly begged that her two 
sons might have principal 
honors in Christ's temporal 
kingdom. 

SALT is in many places 
dug from the earth, but is 
commonly obtained by evap- 
orating sea water. In the in- 
terior of the state of New 
York, it is obtained in vast 
quantities from natural springs 
of salt water. It was ap- 
pointed to be used in all the 
sacrifices that were offered to 
God. Lev. ii. 13. It is the 
rymbol of wisdom — " Let your 
speech be seasoned with 
Rait," Col. iv. 6 j of fidelity 
and perpetuity ; thus a firm 
and lasting- covenant is called 
1 covenant of salt, Numb. 



xviii. 19 ; and of maintenance 
or hospitality, Ez. iv. 14, 
where " maintenance from 
the king's table" may be ren- 
dered literally " salted with 
the salt of the pak.je." The 
phrase u salted with fire," 
Mark ix. 49, means that the 
victims of divine justice in 
hell shall be as it wore salted 
with fire, and, instead of being 
consumed by it, shall continue 
immortal in the midst of their 
flames. Awful thought ! The 
Jews were accustomed to rub 
salt on new-born babes, or 
bathe them with salt water. 
Ezek. xvi. 4. Large quan- 
tities of salt put on land 
renders it barren. Hence 
a salt land means a barren 
region. Jud. ix. 45. Zeph. 
ii. 4. In small quantities, it 
serves as a valuable manure. 
Luke xiv. 34. When our 
Saviour told his disciples that 
they were the salt of the earth, 
he meant that, being them- 
selves endued with grace, 
they ought to season others, 
and preserve them from cor- 
ruption. The truths of the 
gospel are in opposition to the 
corruption of the world, both 
in respect to doctrine and 
morals. 

Lot's wife was not turned 
into a pillar of such salt as 
we use at table, but into rock 
salt, as hard and compact as 
stone. In seme parts of 
Arabia, houses are built of 
this material. The salt used 
by the ancients was chiefly 
what we call roc/t, or fos* 



SAL 



220 



SAL 



sil salt ; and also that left 
on the shores of salt lakes. 
Both of these kinds were im- 
pure, being mixed with earth, 
sand, &c, and lost their 
strength uy exposure to the 
atmosphere. Maundrell, 
in his description of the valley 
of salt, speaks of a small 
precipice on the side toward 
Gibal, where he broke some 
pieces from a part exposed to 
the weather, which, " though 
they had all the appearance 
of salt, had perfectlij lost its 
savor; while the inner part, 
which was connected with the 
rock, retained its savor, as I 
found by proof." Compare 
Matt. v. 13. Schoetgenius 
has largely proved, in his 
" Horse Hebraicae," that such 
as had thus become insipid, 
was used to repair road* 
This is exactly the use said to 
be made of it in the above 
quoted passage. 

SALT, Valley of, some 
vale opening into the Dead 
Sea, where rock salt was pro- 
cured. 

SALUTE, to address with 
civility. The forms of salu- 
tation vary exceedingly in 
different countries. Among 
Orientals, so much ardor is 
expressed, and so long a cer- 
emony used, as would in our 
eyes appear ridiculous. When 
an Arab meets his friend, he 
begins, yet afar off, to make 
gestures indicative of recog- 
nition. On coming up, he 
shakes hands, then kisses his 
hand, and inquires concerning 



his friend's health, and that of 
his family, with great minute- 
ness. All this is of course 
done by the other. Some- 
times the beard is reverently 
kissed. When they separate, 
to pass on, each pronounces 
a solemn benediction, as " The 
blessing of Jehovah be with 
you," &c. The later Jews 
were more moderate than 
the neighboring nations, and 
used different degrees of hom- 
age, according to the person 
and the occasion. A bow of 
the head was the common 
civility : to bend the body 
indicated more respect j and 
to lay down the face on the 
ground signified the highest 
reverence. Jacob bowed him- 
self seven tinges to the ground 
when he met Esau. Gen. 
xxxiii. When the prophet 
sent his servant in great haste 
to raise the dead child, he 
forbade him to salute any one, 
or answer any salutation, be- 
cause of the time it would oc- 
cupy. 2 Kings iv. 29. And 
our Saviour exonerated the 
seventy disciples from such 
unmeaning waste of time. 
Luke x. 4. Presents com- 
monly form a part of oriental 
salutation when a visit is 
made. Gen. xliii. 11. 1 Sam* 
x. 4. Matt. ii. 11. When 
Saul was recommended to 
seek Samuel's aid, he thought 
it utterly improper to speak 
to him, because he had no 
suitable present,but went when 
he found they had a quarter 
shekel, that is, twelve and 4 



SAM 



221 



SAM 



half cents. 1 Sam. ix. 7. 
So small a present was evi- 
dently intended not for pay, 
but for respect. A flower, or 
an orange, is sufficient to sat- 
isfy custom. 

SALVATION, literally 
deliverance. There is no 
salvation but in Christ,through 
the mere mercy and free grace 
of God. Christ brings " great 
salvation" — vastly more than 
mere deliverance from de- 
served and impending ruin. 
2 Cor. vii. 10. Eph. i. 13. 
We " work out our salva- 
tion" when we accept Christ's 
free mercy, and walk by his 
strength in newness of life. 

SAMARIA. 1. The 
country of the Ephraimites, 
or ten tribes. In the New 
Testament, it always signifies 
die territory between Judea 
and Galilee. 

2. The seat of government 
of the ten tribes, who revolted 
from Rehoboam. It was built 
by Omri, a. m. 3080, forty- 
two miles north of Jerusalem. 
After various sieges, &c. 
during several ages, it was 
at last laid in complete ruins, 
by Shalmaneser. Alexander 
the Great established a col- 
ony of Macedonians there. 
About the year 3947, Gabin- 
ius, a Roman governor of 
Syria, improved it 5 and sub- 
sequently Herod the Great 
restored it to magnificence, 
and called it Sebaste. For 
several hundred years after 
Christ, Samaria continued to 
be ar? important city. 
19* 



SAMARITAN. When 
Shalmaneser removed many 
of the ten tribes to Babylon, 
he sent in their place Baoy- 
lonians : these intermarried 
with the remaining Hebrews, 
and their descendants were 
the Samaritans. Between 
these and the pure Jews there 
was a constant jealousy and 
hatred. John iv. The name 
was used by the Jews as a 
term of the greatest reproach. 
John viii. 48. The Samari- 
tans, like the Jews, lived in 
the expectation of Messiah, 
and many of them embraced 
him when he appeared. John 
iv. Acts viii. 1, and ix. 31. 
They formerly had syna- 
gogues at Damascus, Gaza, 
at Grand Cairo, Shechem, 
and Joppa, Askclon and Caes- 
area. At present, their chief, 
if not only residence, is Nap- 
louse, the ancient Shechem, 
and Joppa. They perhaps do 
not amount to 300 persons in 
all. They have a high 
priest, who is considered to 
be a descendant of Aaron. 
Though few in number, they 
pretend to great strictness 
in their observation of the 
law of Moses, and consider 
the Jews far less rigid. From 
the letter of their high priest 
to Joseph Scaliger, 210 years 
ago, it appears that they pro- 
fess to believe in God, and in 
his servant Moses, and in the 
holy law, the Mount Gerizim, 
the house of God, and the 
day of vengeance and peace. 
They keep the Sabbath sa 



SAM 



222 



SAN 



strictly, that they will not 
move out of their place, ex- 
cept to their synagogue. They 
always circumcise their chil- 
dren on the eighth day after 
their birth. They do not 
marry their own nieces, nor 
allow a plurality of wives. 

SAMOQM. See Winds. 

SAMOS, an island of the 
Grecian Archipelago, nine 
miles south-west of the coast 
of Lydia, in Asia Minor. The 
inhabitants chiefly worshipped 
Juno, who was said to have 
been born there. It is now 
inhabited by Greeks, who 
are very poor, and who, 
though nominally Christians, 
are sunk in ignorance and su- 
perstition. Here Pythagoras 
was born, and here Lycurgus 
died. 

SAMOTHRA'CIA, a 
small island of the ^Egean Sea, 
about 20 miles in circumfer- 
ence. It derived its name 
from having been peopled by 
Samians and Thracians. Its 
present name is Samodraki. 

SAMSON, a judge of Is- 
rael, of the tribe of Dan. Dr. 
Clarke has shown from M. De 
Levaur, that he is the origi- 
nal of the fabled Hercules of 
heathen mythology. He judg- 
ed Israel 20 years, and died 
1117 years b. c, aged 40. 
Jud. xiii. xvi. Heb. xi. 32, 33. 

SAMUEL, an eminent 
prophet, born at Raman, in 
the tribe of Ephraim, and 
from his birth dedicated by 
his mother to God's service. 
I Sam. iii. 1. He wrote the 



First Book of Samuel, and, as 
is supposed, those of Judges 
and Ruth. 

Two books of this name 
are found in our canon of 
Scripture. The first book 
of Samuel describes the proph- 
et's life, and the history of 
Israel under Saul, embracing 
a period of about 80 years. 
The second book of Samu- 
el, written, it is supposed, by 
the prophets Gad and Nathan, 
(1 Chron. xxix. 29,) contains 
the history of David during a 
period of nearly 40 years. 
These books, beside their 
other various important uses, 
serve greatly to explain the 
Psalms. 

SANCTIFY, (1.) To set 
apart any person or thing to 
a religious use. Thus the 
priests, the offerings, the 
tabernacle, &c. under the 
law were sanctified, Lev. viii. 
10. Thus the Sabbath is 
sanctified or set apart. And 
thus Christ sanctified himself, 
by setting himself apart as a 
Sacrifice to God. John xvii. 
19. (2.) To cleanse a sinner 
from the pollution and domin- 
ion of sin. This commences 
at regeneration ; is wrought 
by the Spirit 5 is progressive 
during life 3 makes the Chris- 
tian fit for heaven j and con- 
stitutes his evidence of adop- 
tion. 1 Cor. vi. 11. 2 Thess. 
ii. 13. 

SANCTUARY, the most 
holy place in the Jewish tem- 
pie. The word often means 
the temple itself, 2 Chron. xx. 



SAP 



223 



SAT 



85 Ps. lxxiii. 17 j and some- 
times a place of refuge, Isa. 
riii. 14 ; Ezek. xi. 16. 

SANDALS, soles of leather 
or wood, tied to the feet with 
strings. As these afforded 
the traveller no protection 
from the dust, it was always 
a necessary act of hospitality 
to have the feet of the guest 
washed before he could re- 
tire to bed. John xiii. 10. 1 
Tim. v. 10. They are still 
worn in several eastern coun- 
tries, by both sexes, and all 
classes 5 the value and beauty 
being proportioned to the rank 
of the wearer. They are gen- 
erally put off on going into a 
house or temple. Ex. iii. 5. 
Deut. xxv. 9. To bind and 
loose the sandals, and wash 
the feet, was the business of 
the lowest slaves. Gen. xviii. 
4. Matt. iii. 11. The poor gen- 
erally go barefoot, and the rich 
do so as a sign of mourning. 

SAN'HEDRIM, the su- 
preme Jewish court. This 
name, though common among 
theological writers, does not 
occur in the Bible. See 
Council. 

SAPPHIRE, a pellucid 
gem, which, in its finest state, 
is inferior in value only to the 
diamond. The finest are of a 
pure blue color, and others are 
of various lighter shades, even 
to perfect whiteness, resem- 
bling crystal, though of a finer 
/ustre. Some are red, and 
go under the name of ruby. 
Such as are reddish,and slight- 
ly tinged with blue, are called 



amethyst. It was the second 
stone in the high priest's 
breastplate. 

SARDWE, or Sardigs, 
a precious stone, of a reddish 
or bloody color, said to de- 
rive its name from Sardis, 
where the best were found. 
The best now come from 
about Bagdad. It was the 
first jewel in the high priest's 
breastplate. 

SARDIS*, a town at the 
foot of Mount Tmolus, ten 
hours' ride south of Thyatira. 
It was the capital of Lydia, 
celebrated for its opulence 
and debauchery. Here the 
famous Crccsus lived. Ac- 
cording to the Lord's threat, 
its candlestick has been re- 
moved out of its place. A 
missionary, who visited Sar- 
dis in 1826, found no Christian 
residing on the spot. It is now 
called Sart. 

SAR'DONYX, a gem 
supposed to partake of the 
qualities and appearance of 
the sardine and onyx, of 
which names the word seems 
to be compounded. Rev. 
xxi. 10. 

SAREPTA. See Zare- 

PHATH. 

SATAN, the prince of hell. 
The name is Hebrew, and 
means enemy, for the devii is 
the enemy of God and man. 
Much of man's wickedness 
may be ascribed to him. See 
instances, Gen. iii. Job 1. Acts 
v. 3. He is called the god of 
this icorld, for his power in it. 
Unconverted persons are said 



S A V 



224 



SC A 






to be under his influence. 
Acts xxvi. 18. Peter is call- 
ed Satan, that is, enemy, be- 
cause he wished his master to 
avoid that suffering to which 
he was appointed. Matt. xvi. 
23. See Devil. 

SAT'YR, a name given to 
some animal which prowls 
round the ruins of Babylon ; 
probably the ape or baboon. 
Isa. xiii. 21, and xxxiv. 14. 
Some of the ancients worship- 
ped it as a god, delineating 
it as half a man and half a 
goat. 

SAVE, to preserve from 
danger, or from eternal death 5 
to deliver from the guilt or the 
power of sin. Matt. i. 21. Je- 
sus Christ saves his people 
from sin, and from destruc- 
tion 5 and having merited 
their salvation by his death, 
he applies the purchased re- 
demption, by shedding abroad 
the Holy Ghost in their hearts. 
The righteous are " scarcely 
saved, 7 ' because huge difficul- 
ties lie in their way. We are 
said to be saved by the word 
of God, by faith, by baptism, 
by hope, &c. as these each 
form a part of the glorious 
plan of salvation. 

SA'VIOUR, a term applied 
pre-eminently to Christ, who 
came " to save his people from 
their sins." He is therefore 
called Jesus, which signifies 
a Saviour. He is the " Sa- 
viour of all men," because he 
preserves and delivers them 
from dangers, grants favors, 
and is equally suited to the 



case of all s,nners, Jews as 
well as Gentiles, and is equally 
held up to them in the gospel, 
as saving all who come unto 
God by him j but he is the 
Saviour " especially of them 
that believe/' by bestowing 
grace, rescuing from sin and 
misery, and giving eternal 
life. 

SAVOR, the smell or 
taste of any thing. The 
ancient sacrifices were a 
" sweet savor unto God : r> 
he accepted of, and delighted 
in them, as typical of the 
obedience and suffering of 
Christ. Gen. viii. 21. Ezra 
vi. 10. Eph. v. 2. " A savor 
of death" is a noxious odor 
which causes death, and " a 
savor of life " is a pure 
fragrance contributing to life 5 
a figure used with great force, 
in relation to the different 
effects of the gospel. 2 Cor. 
ii. 16. 

SCALL, a disease incident 
to the hairy parts of the body, 
as the head or beard. It is 
called nethek in Hebrew, in- 
dicating that the hair is plucked 
up. Lev. xiii. 30 — 36. 

SCAPE GOAT, a goat 
which, on the great day of 
atonement, was banished into 
the wilderness, after the high 
priest had confessed upon it 
the sins of all the people. See 
the account, Lev. xvi. 

SCARLET, a color much 
admired and worn in former 
times. It was anciently pro- 
duced from a little worm 
found in warty excrescences 



SCH 



225 



SCO 



/>f a shrub or small tree, called 
the kermes oak. The ex- 
crescences, or bladders, are 
about the size of juniper ber- 
ries, and are caused by the 
insect. Tourxefort saw 
the kermes collected in the 
island of Crete, and Bellon 
saw them near Damascus. 
The article is still known in 
commerce in the Levant, 
Palestine, Persia, &c. Ex. 
xxv. 4. &c. 

SCEPTRE, a staff, or 
wand, signifying royalty. Ps. 
xlv. 6. Rev. xix. 15. Anciently 
kings were shepherds, and 
hence probably this badge 
took its origin. Ez. xix. 11. 
Est. viii. 4. The " rod of the 
wicked," means their power 
and influence. Ps. exxv. 3. 

SCHOOL, a place of in- 
struction. Each parent, by 
the obvious law of nature, is 
bound to educate his child 
according to his station. The 
association of a number of 
i parents to procure a person 
I who shall devote his whole 
mind and time to this subject, 
seems not to have been known 
in the early periods of the 
world. We read of schools 
for the -prophets in the days 
of Saul. 1 Sam. xix. 18—24. 
About the time of Christ, 
eminent doctors delivered 
Stated instructions, which 
1 were attended by the studi- 
ous, whether priests or others. 
Paul was in this manner edu- 
| cated by Gamaliel, the most 
I celebrated rabbi of his time. 
Acts xxii. 3. Each great 



teacher had of course his 
peculiar views. Such as fully 
adopted these, called him 
father or master, and them* 
selves children. The exhor- 
tation, ° Call no man father 
on earth," means that we are 
not »o give ourselves up im- 
plicitly to any great doctrinal 
leader, but examine for our- 
selves. Matt, xxiii. 9. 

SCORPION, a reptile of 
fatal venom, found in most 
hot countries, and so mali- 
cious as to be constantly 
striking at every object with- 
in its reach. When put to- 
gether, they immediately de- 
stroy each other. In general, 




it does not exceed three or 
four inches in length, though, 
in some hot countries, they 
are said to become eight or ten 



SCO 



SCR 



inches long. Some are yel- 
low, others brown, and some 
black. The sting is in the 
tail. Rev. ix. 10. It has 
eight legs, and four eyes, per- 
haps more. The torment pro- 
duced by their sting is dread- 
ful. Rev. ix. 5. In Africa, 
some grow to the size of a 
very small lobster, which they 
resemble in shape, as is seen 
by the picture. 

The south border of Judea, 
and the desert between that 
and Egypt, was much infest- 
ed with scorpions. Deut. viii. 
15. They delight in stony 
places, and in old ruins. 

Wicked men are called 
scorpions. Ezek. ii. 6. The 
statements of some authors, 
that the only cure for its bite 
is to crush the reptile on the 
wound — that the young ones 
instantly kill their mother, 
&c, are absurd. The folly 
and cruelty of Rehoboam in 
threatening to rule Israel as 
with scorpions, is very strik- 
ing. What father would give 
his child such a reptile, when 
it " asked of him an egg V 7 
Luke xi 12. The complete 
security of Christ's followers 
is forcibly seen when he gives 
them power to " tread on 
scorpions" unharmed. Luke 
x. 19. 

SCOURGE, a whip, a 
lash 5 an instrument of disci- 
pline or punishment. In the 
punishment of the scourge, 
the offender was stripped 
from his shoulders to his 
waist, and tied by his arms to 



a low pillar, that he might 
lean forward for the conve- 
nience of the executioners. 
The law directed them not to 
exceed forty stripes ; and the 
Jews, in order to prevent the 
command being broken, al- 
ways limited the number of 
lashes to thirty and nine, 
Deut. xxv. 2, 3. When the 
scourge had three lashes, as 
was common, thirteen blows 
made out the " forty stripes, 
save one." This was done 
to Paul five times. 2 Cor 
xi. 24. 

SCRIBE, (L) A clerk, or 
writer, like our secretary of 
state. 2 Sam. viii. 17. (2.) 
A person skilled in the Jewish 
law, who copied, taught and 
explained the Scriptures. 
Our Saviour classes the 
scribes with prophets and 
wise men. The estimation 
in which they were held by 
the people, appears in Matt, 
xvii. 10 j Mark xii. 35, &c. 
The injury done to true re- 
ligion by the traditions of 
these interpreters and preach- 
ers of the law, may be gath- 
ered from the severe rebuke 
which Christ gave te their 
obtrusive question, Matt. xv. 
2, 3, &c. Our Saviour gave 
various instances of their ir- 
regular and unjust dealings. 
Matt, xxiii. 2, 3, 4, &c. He, 
therefore, on the mount,warns 
his audience of the dangers 
they were exposed to from 
such teachers. Matt. v. 20. 
They existed as a separate 
class of men as early as the 



SCR 



227 



SEA 



days of Deborah. Most of 
them were of the tribe of Levi. 
SCRIP, a bag or purse. 
According to its size, &c, it 
was used for food or for 
moncv. 1 Sam. xvii. 40. 

SCRIPTURE, that which 
is written. The Old and 
New Testaments, which con- 
tain the whole will of God 
necessary to be known for 
our salvation, are called the 
Scripture, or the Writings, 
the Bible, or the Book^ by way 
of eminence, because they 
far excel all other writings. 
Though written by divers 
men at different times, yet 
they all agree, as if written 
by one man. " All Scripture 
is given by inspiration of 
God," 2 Tim. iii. 16, " and 
is profitable, for doctrine," to 

i declare and confirm the truth 3 
" for reproof," to convince of 
sin and confute errors ; " for 

I correction," to reform the 
life 5 and " for instruction in 
righteousness 5" that is, to 

I teach us to make a further 
progress in the way to heaven, 
or to instruct us in the true 
righteousness revealed by the 
gospel of Jesus Christ, in 
which we may appear with 
comfort before God. It is 
probable that the aposUes 
used the term in reference to 
the Old Testament only. 

Every mark of authenticity 
which we can demand is 
found in the Scripture. Its 
unequalled authority and ma- 

I jesty of style 3 depth, purity, 
and benevolence of matter 5 



its tendency to glorify God, 
and correct the corrupt incli- 
nations of man 3 the obvious 
candor of the writers in re- 
lating their own weaknesses 
and faults 5 their amazing 
harmony, though of very dif 
ferent stations, ages, charac 
ters, and circumstances } its 
entire superiority, as to morals, 
above any thing ever pub- 
lished by man 5 its abundant 
attestation by vast numbers 
of public and incontestable 
miracles, by important and 
authentic history, and by 
the cheerful martyrdom of a 
multitude of its witnesses ; 
its wonderful preservation 
upon earth ; its amazing suc- 
cess in purifying the most 
dissolute, and restraining the 
most furious of men 3 in 
civilizing nations 3 in com- 
forting, enlightening and en- 
nobling all who receive it 5 
the exact fulfilment of its nu- 
merous and circumstantial 
prophecies, &c. are so many 
infallible proofs that it is in- 
deed the Word of God. 2 
Tim. iii. 15—17. 

SCYTH'IA. No country 
under this name, and embrac- 
ing the same territory, now 
exists. It comprehended Tar- 
tary, Asiatic Russia, the Cri- 
mea, Poland, part of Hunga- 
ry, Lithuania, Sweden, Nor- 
way, and the northern parts 
of Germany. Col. iii. 11. 

SEA, a large collection 
of waters. The Hebrews 
applied this term to lakes 
of moderate size 3 and th«i 



SEA 



228 



SEA 



modern inhabitants of Pal- 
estine still retain the same 
phraseology. 

1. The Sea of Galilee 
was anciently called the Sea 
of Cinnereth, Numb, xxxiv. 
11, or Cinneroth, Josh. xii. 
3 3 in the time of the Macca- 
bees, Genesar, 1 Mace. xi. 
67; and in the days of our 
Saviour, the Sea of Tiberias, 
John vi. 1, from the great 
city of that name which stood 
on its banks ; and Gennesareth, 
from the neighboring district 
of the same name, Mark vi. 
53. See Gennesareth. 

2. The Dead Sea was 
anciently called the Sea of 
the Plain, Deut. iv. 49 ; the 
Salt Sea, Deut. iii. 17 ; Josh. 
xv. 5 ; and the East Sea, 
Ezek. xlvii. 18 5 Joel ii. 20. 
By Josephus and other writ- 
ers, it is called Lake Asphal- 
tites, from the bitumen found 
in it. It is about 75 miles 
long, and 18 broad. The 
term Dead Sea seems to have 
been given to it from the 
opinion, (erroneous, though 
general,) that no living crea- 
ture could exist in its waters, 
and that even birds fell dead 
into the water in attempting 
to fly over. Its waters are 
clear, but very salt, and the 
mud of the bottom black and 
fetid. Wood thrown into it 
is said to become petrified. 
It is sometimes called Sea 
of Sodom, because it oc 
cupies the site of that place, 
and the other cities of the 
plain which were destroyed 



for their wickedness in the 
days of Lot, viz. Gomorrah, 
Admah, and Zeboim. It is 
said that the ruins of these 
cities may now be discerned 
under the water when it is 
low. See Dead Sea. 

3. The Great Sea is the 
Mediterranean, called some- 
times the Hinder Sea, in con- 
tradistinction to the Red Sea, 
which is called the Former 
Sea, Zech. xiv. 8 ; because 
Orientals commonly call the 
east before, the west behind, 
the left hand north, and the 
right hand south. The word 
beyond, for the same reason, 
means east. The Mediter- 
ranean Sea is about 2000 
miles long, and varies in 
breadth from 80 to 500 miles, 
beautifully sprinkled with 
islands, and bordered by fer- 
tile and opulent countries. 
No tides are perceptible in it, 
except in narrow straits. 

4. The Red Sea is that 
arm of the Indian Ocean 
which runs along the south- 
west side of Arabia, and the 
east of Ethiopia and Egypt, 
to the length of 1200 miles, 
now called the Arabian Gulf. 
As the Edomites had long the 
property and use of it for 
their shipping, it came to be 
called the Sea of Edom, 
which the Greeks translated 
into the Red Sea, Edom sig- 
nifying red. Hence origi- 
nated the mistake, that its 
water, or its bottom, was 
reddish. 

SE'AH, a Hebrew meas 



SEC 



229 



SEC 



ore, containing about two and 
a half gallons. 

SEAL, an engraved stamp ; 
also the impression made by 
such a stamp. Formerly, 
writing was a trade by itself; 
and even princes could not 
sign their name. Hence the 
use of a seal to authenticate 
documents. The transfer of 
Pharaoh's seal to Joseph, put 
him in possession of the entire 
royal authority. The same 
was done to Hainan. The 
expression, 2 Tim. ii. 19, " the 
foundation of God standeth 
sure, having this seal, [secu- 
rity,] the Lord knoweth them 
that are his/ 7 seems to allude 
to a certified instrument. 
John iii. 33. See Book. 

SEARED, burnt off ; or 
burnt hard, as flesh is with 
a hot iron. Men have their 
conscience seared, when it 
is so stupified with the load 
of unpardoned guilt, and 
power of inward corruption, 
that it regards nothing, how- 
ever horrid and abominable. 
1 Tim. iv. 2. 

SEAT, abode, station. 
u Moses' seat" means the 
station of authority, occupied 
by those who interpreted and 
expounded the word of God. 
Matt, xxiii. 2. 

SECT, a party of persons 
united together under some 
leader, or professing the same 
tenets or opinions. The 
Jews, in the time of our Sa- 
viour, were divided into the 
sects of Pharisees, Saddu- 
cees. Essenes, Herodians, and 
20 



Zealots. These are described 
under their respective names, 
except the Essenes, which are 
not expressly mentioned in 
Scripture. 

The Essenes were a very 
ancient sect, spread through 
Syria, Palestine, Egypt, and 
the neighboring countries. 
They seem to have made 
religion to consist chiefly in 
quietness and contemplation j 
regarding a serene mind as 
the most acceptable offering 
to God. All agrfed, there- 
fore, in avoiding the snares 
of cities and of traffic. Some 
dwelt in villages, practising 
agriculture and the mechanic 
arts 3 others, retiring to des- 
erts, gave themselves wholly 
to solitude and devotion. 
They set a high value on the 
Old Testament, and addicted 
themselves to its perusal ; but 
did not practise any of the 
ceremonies, considering them 
allegorical. They refused to 
take oaths, but were remark- 
able for uprightness and ve- 
racity. Their dress and diet 
were plain and cheap, their 
lives inoffensive, and in doc- 
trinal views, they nearly 
coincided with the Pharisees. 
Slaver}', which has always 
been common in the East, 
they regarded as repugnant 
to nature. 

The Therapeut^:, who 
were numerous near Alexan- 
dria, seem to have been a 
branch of this sect, differing 
from them but little either 
in sentiments or habits. 



SEL 



230 



SEL 



These sects have gradu- 
ally become extinct, and the 
principal present divisions of 
the Jews are into Rabbini- 
cal, who hold to the multitude 
of traditions and commenta- 
ries 3 and Karaites, who ad- 
here to the simple text of the 
Old Testament. Beside these 
there are the sects of Polish 
Jews, which include those of 
Germany and Russia 3 the 
Spanish Jews, or Sephartim, 
which include those of Portu- 
gal 5 and the Italian Jews, 
which include all the Levant. 
They keep separate, and have 
different synagogues, even in 
the Holy Land. The Spanish 
Jew considers his party so 
exalted above the others, that 
if any of them marry among 
the other sects, he is excom- 
municated, and his friends go v 
in mourning for him, as though 
he were dead. 

SEER, a prophet, so call- 
ed from his foresight of 
the future. 1 Sam. ix. 9. 

SEETHE, to boi! any 
thing. Ex. xxiii. 19. The Jew- 
sh prohibition " thou shalt not 
seethe a kid in its mother's 
milk," is regarded by the Jews 
as a general prohibition of the 
uxury of boiling any flesh in 
milk. Cudworth shows an 
additional reason for the pro- 
hibition in the fact that it was 
an idolatrous rite. 

SE'LA, called by the Jews 
Jokteel, is probably the place 
called Kerek in Burckhardfs 
travels. In Greek authors, it 
is called Petra, and was the 



celebrated capital of Arabia 
Petrea. 2 Kings xiv. 7. 

SELAH, a word of doubt- 
ful import. Some suppose it 
to mark the beginning of a 
new paragraph 3 others that it 
indicates an elevation of voice. 
It is probably no more than a 
nota bene, calling for particu- 
lar attention. 

SELEU'CIA. There were 
several cities of this name in 
Asia. One in Mesopotamia, 
on the same site, or very 
near to it, is the present city 
of Bagdad. The Scripture 
mentions only that of Syria, 
near the river Orontes, which 
was built by Seleucus Nica 
nor, the first Syro-Greciaa 
monarch. From its proximity 
to Mount Pierius, it is called 
in profane history Pieria. 

SELF-EXAMINATION, 
that indispensable calling of 
ourselves to account, which is 
so expressly commanded in 
the New Testament. 2 Cor. 
xiii. 5. It consists in fully 
considering our heart and life, 
comparing them with Scrip- 
ture requirement, and sincere- 
ly desiring perfect rectitude. 
Times of trouble, birth-days, 
communion seasons, &c, ought 
to be especially improved for 
this purpose. 

SELL. The Hebrews might 
sell themselves or their chil- 
dren^ Lev. xxv. 39 3 Ex. xxi.7 3 
but were not to be treated as 
common slaves, Lev. xxv. 44 
—46. Insolvent debtors and 
their children were sold, 2 
Kings iv. 1 5 Matt, xviii. 25, 



SEN 



231 



SEP 



as were also thieves not able 
to make restitution, Ex.xxii.3. 

SENNACH'ERIB, a king 
of Assyria, successor to Shal- 
maneser. The kings ofJudah 
having" refused to pay tribute 
to him, he laid waste their 
country. Taking part of his 
army to invade Egypt, he left 
Rabshakeh in the command 
of the army in Judah, whose 
blasphemy and insults we read 
in 2Kingsxviii. 19. Hezekiah 
and Isaiah resorted to prayer, 
and an angel destroyedl85,000 
of the Assyrians in one night. 
The remnant of the invaders 
returned to Nineveh, where, 
shortly after, Sennacherib was 
slain by his sons, as we are 
told in 2 Kings xviii. During 
the reign of this monarch, 
Sevechus was king of Egypt, 
and Deioces king of Media. 
About this time, also, Romulus 
laid the foundation of Rome. 

SENSE means, (1.) That 
faculty of a /iving creature, 
whereby it receives the im- 
pression of material objects ; 
(2.)Theimpressionof an object 
upon the senses ; (3.) Meaning 
or import j (4. ) Common sense, 
or those general notions aris- 
ing in the minds of men, by 
which they apprehend or un- 
derstand things alike, or in 
common. 

SENSUAL, belonging to 
the senses Persons addicted 
to animal gratifications, are 
sensual. James iii. 15. Chris- 
tians are to rise superior to 
any slavery to their body. 1 
Cor. ix. 27. The mortification 



f of unreasonable appetites is a 
great part of religion, Rom. 
viii. 13. Col. iii. 5. 

SEPHARVA'IM, or Se- 
PUARVirES. They seem to 
have originally dwelt north of 
Media, or about Siphora, on 
the River Euphrates. Senna- 
cherib,king of Assyria, ravag- 
ed the country about the days 
of Hezekiah, and after destroy- 
ing great numbers, colonized 
most of the remainder in Ca- 
naan, where they at length 
became a tribe of Samaritans. 

SEP'ULCHRE, a place for 
receiving the dead. Every 
vault, tomb, or grave, may be 
termed a sepulchre. The Jews 
invariably placed them with- 
out the cities, as they always 
should be, on account of the 
noxious effluvia rising from 
them. The royal family only 
was buried in Jerusalem. 2 
Chr. xxiv. 16. Natural caves 
were often used for interment j 
and in these, thieves and luna- 
tics sometimes resided. Hence 
the grave is called a pit. Ps. 
lxxxviii.3 — 12. Our Saviour's 
sepulchre was " hewn out of a 
rock •" and the doer being 
sealed, it was impossible he 
should be stolen without the 
knowledge of the guards. The 
size of the stone which formed 
the door was itself an ample 
security. It was " a great 
stone," that was generally se- 
lected for this purpose. Matt, 
xxvii. 60. Clarke, in his 
travels in Greece and the Holy 
Land, informs us that H on the 
reputed tomb of Agamemnon 



SER 



232 



SE V 



is placed a stone twenty-seven 
feet in length, seventeen in 
breadth, and four feet seven 
inches in thickness." See 
Tomb. 

SERAPHIM, the plural of 
Seraph. The word seems 
to be derived from flame, and 
to mean fiery ones, or those 
who excel in love and zeal. 
Isa. vi. 1 — 7. It plainly means 
an order of heavenly beings ; 
but what is their special rank 
or employment, we know not. 

SERPENT. There are 
many kinds of serpents. The 
only remarkable kind men- 
tioned in Scripture is the fly- 
ing serpent, thought by some 
to be so called from their swift, 
darting motion. They were 
called fiery, from their color 
and their venom. Isa. xxx. 6. 
Several profane authors men- 
tion serpents found in the East, 
with wings like a bat. Herod- 
otus affirms that he saw such 
at the city of Butus, and de- 
scribes them minutely. Bo- 
chart quotes many authors 
to prove that they are the same 
as the hydra of the Greeks 
and Latins. The craft of this 
reptile is often alluded to in 
Scripture. Gen. iii. 1. Matt. 
x. 16. 

The serpent was worship- 
ped in Chaidea, Egypt, Rome, 
and other Oriental nations. Es- 
culapius was adored at Epi- 
daurus, under ihe form of a ser- 
pent. See Adder, Inchant- 
ers, and Cockatrice. 

SERVANT. The Hebrews 
had several kinds of servants. 



(1.) The slaves for life, who 
were strangers, bought or ta- 
ken in war. Lev. xxv. 44, &c. 
(2.) Hebrew slaves or bond- 
sen ants, who could only at 
first be bound six years, and 
then were to be dismissed 
with presents. Slavery was 
common before the deluge j 
and some of the patriarchs, 
as Job and Abraham, appear 
to have owned thousands of 
slaves \ but they seem to have 
been treated with great ten- 
derness, and often to have had 
wages, and much confidence 
placed in them. Among the 
Romans, they were often 
branded, for security ; but this 
was forbidden to the Jews. 
The New Testament requires 
servants to be faithful, Matt, 
xxiv. 45 ; Tit. ii. 10 ; and dili- 
gent, 1 Thess. iv. 11. They 
must obey their employers in 
all things, except what is con- 
trary to morality, or beyond 
their power, or not according 
to their engagement. See 
Sell. 

SERVE, to labor, do work 
for, or help a person in any 
employment ; to attend or 
wait upon a person, in order 
to obey and assist him. To 
serve God, is to obey him, not 
only by worshipping him, as 
required, in spirit and in truth, 
but also by studying to know 
and do his will, on all occa- 
sions, however opposed to our 
depraved inclinations, or at 
variance with our apparent 
temporal interests. 

SEVEN, a number which 



SUA 



233 



S ME 



in Scripture is used so often 
and so remarkably, as obvi- 
ously to have an especial im- 
port. Gen. viii. xli. &c. The 
term often denotes a perfect 
or complete number. Job v. 
19. Lev. xxvi. 24. Ps. xii. 6. 
Sevenfold, or seven times, 
often only means abundantly, 
completely. Gen. iv. 15, 24. 
Lev. xxvi. 24. Ps. xii. 6. Sev- 
enty times seven is a still 
higher superlative. 

SHALMANESER, a king 
of Assyria, \vho ; succeeding 
Tiglath-Pilezer, began his 
reign a. m. 3267, and reigned 
14 years. He conquered Is- 
rael when Hoshea was its king, 
and three years afterward, 
rinding out a negotiation with 
Egypt to set themselves free 
from his yoke, he overrun Is- 
rael with his armies, ravaged 
the country ; destroyed the 
fenced cities, killed many of 
the inhabitants, captured Sa- 
maria, the metropolis, and 
transported Hoshea and the 
chief citizens to Media and 
other eastern parts of his em- 
pire. 2 Kings xvii. Among 
these wasTobit, whose history 
is given in the Apocryphal 
book which bears his name. 
At this time Hezekiah reign- 
ed in Judah ; and SaBacus in 
Egypt. The successor ofShal- 
maneserwas Sennacherib. 

SHAME, (1.) Confusion 
arising from conscious guilt. 
Gen. ii. 25. Ezra ix. 6. (2.) 
Reproach, ignominy. Ezek. 
xxxvi. 6. Prov. ix. Great 
modesty is called shame- 
20* 



facedness, and is recommend 
ed to women. 1 Tim. ii. 9. 

SHA'RON, a beautiful dis- 
trict near Carmel, along the 
sea coast. Cant. ii. 1. The 
name became proverbial to 
express a place of great fer- 
tility or beauty. Modern trav- 
ellers give the name Sharon 
to the plain between Ecdippe 
and Ptolemais. 

SHAVE. Shaving the head 
or beard, among the Jews,was 
a sign of mourning. Isa. xv. 2. 
Jer. xli. 5. They preserved 
their beards from their youth, 
with great care, so that to lose 
it was a great humiliation. 
2 Sam. x. The Lord's threat- 
ening to shave Israel with " a 
hired razor," means that for- 
eign troops should utterly 
scrape or despoil the land. 
Isa. vii. 20. Short hair has 
always been considered un- 
becoming in women. 1 Cor. 
xi. 6. 

SHEBA, or Seba. There 
were several of this name :— 
(l.)The son of Cush,v>'ho gave 
the name to a country in Ara- 
bia. Gen. x. 7. Psalm lxxii. 10. 
(2.) The grandson of Cush. 
Gen. x. 7. (3.) The son of 
Joktan. Gen. x. 29. (4.) The 
grandson of Abraham. Gen. 
xxv. 3. All these seem to have 
taken up their residence in 
Arabia, and perhaps most of 
them in the south part of it. 
One or more of these Shebas 
gave name to the country 
whose queen came to visit 
Solomon, bringing him large 
presents of gold, spices, and 



SHE 



234 



SHE 



precious stones. But whether 
this Sheba was situated in 
Arabia the Happy, or in Abys- 
sinia, is doubtful. (5.) Theson 
of Bichri, a Jew, who headed 
a revolt in the reign of David. 
2 Sam. xx. (G.) The name of a 
famous well, sometimes called 
Sheba, and sometimes Beer- 
sheba. Gen. xxvi. 33. 

SHECHEM, a very an- 
cient city, 35 miles north of 
Jerusalem, which the sons of 
Jacob cruelly ravaged, to re- 
venge the injury done to their 
sister by its prince. Gen. 
xxxiv. Near it was "Jacob's 
well," John iv. 6, and his pur- 
chased burial place, where 
the remains of Joseph, Elea- 
zer and Joshua were deposit- 
ed. Next to Jerusalem, this 
is, perhaps, the most interest- 
ing spot in Palestine. Mount 
Gerizim rises near the town 
on the south, and Mount Ebal 
on the north. After the ruin 
of the city of Samaria, She- 
chem became the metropolis 
of Samaria / and was called 
Sychar. Near it occurred our 
Saviour's conversation with 
the Samaritan woman, which 
resulted in the conversion of 
so many of the citizens. John 
iv. Matthew Henry observes, 
" Shechem yielded the first 
proselytes to the church of 
Israel, (Gen. xxxiv.) and it 
was the first place where the 
gospel was preached out of 
Israel." It was enlarged and 
beautified by Vespasian, about 
forty years after Christ's death, 
and was by him called Neapo- 



lis, or the New City. It is, at 
this day, a fine town, con- 
taining 10,000 inhabitants, of 
which about 100 are nominal 
Christians. The Samaritans 
are diminished to about 30 
families. The Jews are still 
fewer. In the Samaritan 
synagogue is a famous M. S. 
of the Pentateuch, which they 
suppose to be 3000 years old, 
and an exact copy of it 800 
years old. They were shown 
to Dr. Huntingdon, English 
chaplain at Aleppo, and more 
recently to Mr. Jovvett, agent 
of the Bible society. This 
city is now called Naplouse. 
See Samaria. 

SHEEP, a well-known ani- 
mal, of great utility, and famed 
for meekness. In Syria are 
two varieties of sheep — one 
differing little from ours j the 
other, more common and more 
esteemed, having a tail of ex- 
traordinary bulk, often weigh- 
ing 12 or 15 pounds, and 
sometimes more. It seems to 
consist of a substance between 
fat and marrow, and was com- 
manded to be offered in sacri- 
fice to God. Lev. iii. 9. The 
wealth of ancient kings, and 
other great men, consisted 
chiefly in flocks and herds, 2 
Kings iii. 4; and this is still the 
casein some Easterncountries, 
especially where the people 
are few, and pastures luxuri- 
ant. Christians are compared 
to sheep, for their innocence 
and excellence. Christ is i{ the 
Lamb of Godj"thatis,thegreat 
atoning sacrifice. John i. 29. 



SHE 



235 



SHI 



SHEK'EL, a weight among 
the Hebrews ; but its precise 
heaviness is not agreed on. 
The common shekel of mon- 
ey was equal to a half dollar. 
The shekel of the sanctuary 
was possibly double that sum. 

SHEM, the second son of 
Noah, was born A. M. 1558, 
about 93 years before the del- 
uge. His posterity, of which 
the Jews are a part, peopled 
the greater part of Asia. It is 
thought by some that he was 
the Phtto of the heathen, 

SHEM'INITH, a stringed 
instrument; or possibly a spe- 
cies of music ; or a particular 
part of the composition. Ps. 
vi.xii. &c. 

SHEW, or Show, an ap- 
pearance or pretence 3 also 
any public sight. 

Christ made a shew of prin- 
cipalities and powers, Col. ii. 
15, when he openly triumphed 
over them on his cross. To 
make a " fair shew in the 
flesh," is to be hypocritical by 
carefully observing outward 
forms, while real piety at the 
heart is not sought. Gal.vi. 12. 

SHEW-BREAD was that 
which was constantly exhib- 
ited in the temple. Twelve 
loaves, according to the twelve 
tribes, were every Sabbath 
day put upon the golden ta- 
ble, to be exposed for the 
whole week. This bread was 
forbidden to be eaten by any, 
except the priests ; therefore, 
in the extraordinary case of 
David, nothing but urgent ne- 
cessity could exempt him from 



sin. 1 Sam. xxi. 3 — 7. Matt. 
xii. 4. It served to remind 
the Hebrews of their depend- 
ence on God for daily sup- 
port, and was an emblem of 
Jesus, who is the bread of life. 
John vi 48. 

SHIB'BOLETH, a He- 
brew word, signifying a 
stream of water. It was a 
word which Ephraimites could 
not pronounce in the manner 
of the men of Gilead, and by 
which 42.000 were detected 
and slain at the Jordan. Jud. 
xii. It affords a proof of the 
different modes of pronounc- 
ing the same language, even 
in those early days, and of 
the impossibility of now set- 
tling, by the massoretic points, 
the true pronunciation of the 
Hebrew tongue. Jud.xii.5. 

SHIELD, an instrument of 
defence, held on the left arm, 
to ward off blows. In Scrip- 
ture, God is often called the 
shield of his people. Princes 
and great men are called 
shields, because they ought to 
be the protectors of their peo- 
ple. Ps. xlvii. 9. Faith is 
likewise called the Chris- 
tian's " shield," Eph. vi. 6. 
because it derives strength 
from Christ for overcoming 
the temptations of Satan. 

SHIGGAI'ON, a word 
found in the title of the sev- 
enth psalm. It comes from 
a Hebrew word, which signi- 
fies to stray or icander; whence 
some conjecture that it de- 
notes the song to be various, 
running from one kind of tune 



SHI 



236 



SHI 



into another, and expressive of 
great anguish of heart. Others 
suppose it to be an instrument 
of music. 

SHIGI'ONOTH seems to 
be the plural of Shiggaion. 
Hab. iii. 1. 

SHILO'AH. See Siloam. 

SHILOH, (1.) One of the 
names of Jesus Christ ; the 
great Deliverer ; he that frees 
from the law, sin, and death. 
Gen. xlix. 10. It denotes the 
Redeemer, the author of our 
happiness, and our sole peace- 
maker with God. (2.) A fa- 
mous city of Ephraim, about 
25 miles north of Jerusalem. 
Here Joshua fixed the taber- 
nacle of God 3 and here it 
continued at least 310 years. 

SHINAR, the same as 
Chaldea 5 which see. 

SHIPS. Probably Noah's 
ark was the first vessel of this 
kind ever formed. The tribes 
of Zebulon and Dan appear 
to have early engaged in com- 
merce. Gen. xlix. 13. Jud. v. 
17. Solomon, and after him 
Jehoshaphat, set on foot a 
considerable trade by sea. 1 
Kings x. 22. The Trojans 
were powerful at sea 5 but the 
Tyrians and Sidonians for 
many ages were much more 
so 5 and after them, the Car- 
thaginians. The Greeks were 
also in their turns famous by 
sea. Their navigation, how- 
ever, was very imperfect, as, 
even in the time of Paul, ves- 
sels passing from Judea to 
Italy, frequently wintered on 
the way. Acts xxvii. 12. xxviii. 



11. The vessels were small, 
and generally had oars, as 
well as sails. The compass 
being unknown, they dared 
not go out of sight of land. 
After the Saracens had ruined 
the Grecian commerce, the 
Venetians and Genoese be- 
came great in commerce. 
About 280 years ago, the 
Spaniards and Portuguese 
became the most commercial 
people. Then the Dutch took 
the lead j but at present, the 
English carry on more busi- 
ness by sea than any other 
nation. 

SHITTAH TREE, the 
same as the Shittim. See 
next article. 

SHITTIM WOOD was 
much used in building the 
tabernacle, and in making 
the sacred utensils, &c. 5 but 
it is not now known exactly 
what kind of a tree it was. 
Most probably it was the 
acanthus, or acacia vera, which 
grows in all the deserts from 
the northern part of Ara- 
bia to the extremity of Ethio- 
pia. It is about the size of a 
mulberry-tree, the bark of a 
grayish black, wood pale yel- 
low, and very hard, branch- 
es thorny, flowers sometimes 
white, but generally yellow, 
and the fruit, which resembles 
a bean, contained in pods, like 
the lupin. Both the wood and 
the flowers have a very pleas- 
ant smell. From this tree is 
obtained the gum Arabic, by 
making a gash with an axe. 
Its leaves are almost the only 



S HO 



237 



SIB 



food for camels while travel- 
ing in the great deserts. 

SHOE, a defence for the 
foot. Among the Hebrews, 
slaves went barefoot j others 
generally had their feet and 
legs covered when they went 
abroad ; and women of quality 
wore shoes or gaiters of very 
costly texture. Song vii. 1. 
Ezek. xvi. 10. Shoes were 
ordinarily of no great value, 
and so a pair of s.'ioes denotes 
a very inconsiderable bribe. 
Amos ii. 6. Soldiers often 
wore shoes of iron and brass ; 
and to this day, many people, 
especially in the East, wear 
iron plates on the heels and 
the fore-sole of their shoes. 
The Hebrews eating of the 
first passover with their shoes 
on, loins girded, and staffs in 
their hand, imported tiiat they 
were immediately to begin 
their journey. Ex.xii. 11. Put- 
ting off shoes imported rever- 
ence, and was done in pres- 
ence of God, or on entering 
the mansion cf a superior. 
Ex. iii. 5. Josh. v. 15. Want 
of shoes denoted mourning, 
debasement, and slavery. 2 
Sam. xv. 30. Ezek. xxiv. 17. 
Isa. xx. 2 , 4. The -plucking off 
a shoe and giving it to another, 
imported resignation of right 
to him. Ruth iv. 7. To bear, 
or unloose the shoes of another, 
imports doing for him the 
humblest offices. Matt. ii. 11. 
Luke iii. 16. David cast his 
shoe over Edout, when he 
took possession of the coun- 
try, and used the people as 



slaves. Ps. Ix. 8. cviii. 9. See 
Sandals. 

SHRINE, a cabinet or case, 
to hold the effects of saints, or 
the relics of their bodies ; also 
the tomb or place where pil- 
grims cfTer up their prayers 
and oblations to the saints. 
Those of E plies us seem to 
have been small models of 
Diana's temple, with her im- 
age enclosed. Acts xix. 24. 

SHCJNEM, a city of Issa- 
char, about five miles south of 
Tabor. Josh. xix. 18. In a 
great adjacent plain, the Phi- 
listine army encamped, while 
Saul's lay at Gilboa. 1 Sam. 
xxviii. 4. 

SHU'NEMITE, an inhabit- 
ant of Shunem or Shunam. 

SHUSHAN, or Susa, a 
city on the banks of the River 
Ulai, in Persia. It is said to 
have been built by Memnon, 
before the Trojan war. It 
was the winter residence of 
the Persian kings from the 
time of Cyrus, being sheltered 
by a high ridge of mountains 
from the north-east wind j but 
in the summer it was so in- 
tensely hot as to be scarcely 
habitable. Here Daniel had 
his vision of the ram and he- 
goat. Dan. viii. 

SHUSHANE'DUTH, a 
musical instrument, Ps. Ix. 
called also Shoshannim. Ps. 
xlv. lxix. The word seems to 
mean a lily. It is possible the 
cymbal is meant, as it resem- 
bles that flower. 

SIBiMAH, Shebmih, or 
Shebam, a city about half a 



SIL 



238 



SIL 



mile from Heshbon. The best 
vines grew about it. Isa. xvi. 
8. It was originally the prop- 
erty of the Moabites, and 
fell within the lot of Reuben. 
Numb, xxxii. 38. Josh. xiii. 19. 

SICHEM. See Sechem. 

SIDON, a great commer- 
cial city, and the capital of the 
Phenicians. It was built soon 
after the flood, by Sidon, the 
eldest son of Canaan. Tyre, 
25 miles south of it, was built 
by a colony from this city. 
Both cities lay within the lot 
of Asher ; but that tribe never 
expelled the people. Indeed, 
at one time the Sidonians 
overcame all Israel ; and in 
the days of Ahaz they drove a 
great commerce in exporting 
the Jews for slaves. Joel iii. 
4. The gospel was at the first 
proclaimed here, and flourish- 
ing churches continued for 
many ages. After being lost 
and won in the crusades, the 
Saracens finally made them- 
selves masters of it in A. d. 
1289. Some Christians are 
yet found here. It now con- 
tains 16,000 inhabitants, and 
is called Saide. See Tyre. 

SFHOR, in Josh. xiii. 3, 
means the little river in the 
south of Judea, called River 
of Egypt. In Isa. xxiii. 3, and 
Jer. ii. 18, it must mean the 
Nile. 

SILK is not mentioned in 
the Bible except in Ezek. xvi. 
10, 13. The original word 
means to draw out gently; and 
as there is no historical evi- 
dence that silk was known in 



the days of Ezekiel, :t might 
be better to translate the word 
very fine linen ; the threads of 
which are drawn out with 
great care in spinning. 

SIL'OAM, a fountain rising 
at the foot of Mount Zion. Its 
waters were received into two 
large pools 5 and what over- 
flowed from the lower one 
passed into the Brook Kedron. 
There are, even at this day, 
beautiful gardens and small 
fields watered by it, on its way 
to Kedron. The upper pool 
was sometimes called the 
" King's pool/' probably be- 
cause his gardens were water- 
ed from it. From these pools, 
the Jews drew water on the 
last day of the feast of taber- 
nacles, which they brought 
into the city with great signs 
of joy, singing portions of Isa. 
xii. It was poured on and 
around the altar, with joyful 
acclamations. Near this place 
stood the tower of which Christ 
speaks. Luke xiii. 4. 

SILVER is not mentioned 
as having been in use before 
the flood, nor till the time of 
Abraham ; nor was it coined 
till long after, but was used in 
bars, or ingots. Its ore gen- 
erally contains other metals, 
such as lead, tin, &c, and 
must be often purged to ren- 
der it fine. Ps. xii. 6. The 
fine silver of the ancients was 
found in the mines of Tarshish. 
Jer. x. 9. Great quantities ot 
it were used in the building 
of the temple by Solomon. 1 
Chr. xxix. 4. T< is put for al! 



SIM 



239 



SIM 



temporal wealth. Hos. ix. 6. 
A silver ling, or " piece of 
silver,'' is the same as a 
shekel. 

SIMEON, (1.) The second 
son of Jacob, born in the year 
2247. (2.) An aged saint 
who embraced the infant 
Jesus. Luke ii. 25 — 34. It 
is thought by some learned 
historians he was the great 
rabbi, with whom Gamaliel, 
Paul's teacher, studied. (3.) 
A Christian minister of Anti- 
och. Acts xiii. 1. 

SIMON Peter, a distin- 
guished disciple of our Lord. 
The Roman Catholics call 
him the prince of apostles, 
though Paul seems more de- 
serving of such a title. The 
celibacy of the clergy finds 
no example in his case, as we 
know he had a wife. Mark i. 
29,30. 

SIMON, the Cyrenian, is 
thought by some to be the 
same as Niger, the teacher at 
Antioch. Matt, xxvii. 32. It 
is said that he was afterwards 
the pastor of Bosra, or Bezer, 
and died a cheerful martyr 
for the faith. 

SIMON Zelotes, or the 
Canaanite, one of Christ's 
apostles. He was called 
Zelotes, because he had been 
one of those Galileans, or 
zealous Jews, who refused to 
pay tribute to the Romans. 
The term Canaanite is ap- 
plied to him, not because he 
was a native Canaanite, like 
the woman mentioned Matt. 
*v. 22, for all the apostles 



were Jews 5 but either because 
he was born in Cana of Gali- 
lee, or more probably from 
the Hebrew word Kanaim, 
which is synonymous to the 
Greek word Zelotes. 

Some suppose that he 
preached the gospel in Egypt, 
Cyrenaica, Lybia, and Mau- 
ritania, if not also in Britain. 
Others affirm him to have 
been murdered at Lunir, in 
Persia, along with Jude. See 
Zelotes. 

SIMON, the brother or 
cousin of our Saviour, and the 
son of Cleophas. Matt.xiiL55. 

SIMON, the Pharisee, was 
he who invited our Saviour 
to an entertainment 5 and 
though he omitted the cus^ 
tomary civility of giving him 
water for his feet, took offence 
at his allowing Mar}' Magda- 
lene to anoint them. Jesus, 
by the parable of the two 
debtors, convicted him of his 
mistake. Luke vii. 36 — 60. 

SIMON Magus, or the 
Sorcerer, a very extraor- 
dinary person in Samaria, 
who appeared converted un- 
der Phiiip. From his attempt 
to buy the gifts and powers 
of the Holy Spirit with money, 
the purchase of pastorships 
and ministerial salaries is 
called Simony. Acts viii. 
18. After his apostasy he 
became, some historians af- 
firm, the founder of a sect, 
who denied Christ to be di- 
vine, paid religious honors to 
angels, and held various licen 
tious tenets. 



SIN 



240 



SIN 



There were also Simon, a 
tanner, Acts ix. 43 ; Simon, 
the father of Judas Iscariot, 
John xii. 4, and others. 

SIMPLE, harmless, free 
from deceit. To be " simple 
concerning evil," is to have 
little knowledge of the arts 
of the world in committing" it. 
Rom. xvi. 19. The " sim- 
plicity that is in Christ," is 
either the plain self-consistent 
truth of the gospel, or an un- 
feigned faith in this truth. 2 
Cor. xi. 3. 

SIN, offence against the law 
of God, either by doing what 
it forbids, or neglecting what 
it enjoins. Desiring forbiddei. 
things, or disliking duties, is 
also sin. It is the cause of all 
the misery in this world, 
and of everlasting wo to the 
finally impenitent. Sins are 
called trespasses, because 
they violate the law. When 
it is said, he that " com- 
mitteth sin is of the devil/' 
and is the " servant of sin," 
it means, such is the char- 
acter of those who wilfully 
sin. When it is said, the 
children of God do not sin, 
John viii. 34 ; 1 John iii. 
6, 9 5 v. 18, it means that such 
do not willingly sin. When 
they sin, it is through the 
power of temptation,and gives 
them great grief. " Thou 
shalt visit thine habitation, 
and not sin," means, we must 
not live in a wicked manner. 
Job v. 24. 

Original Sin is that bias 
to evil, in consequence of the 



sin and fell of our first parents, 
whereby our whole nature is 
defiled, and rendered con 
trary to the nature and law 
of God. Ps. li. 5. Hence 
the inward part is said to be 
very wickedness ; that is, lie 
heart is enmity against God. 
Ps. v. 9. This is the sin that 
dwells in us, Rom. vii. 17, 
20, and works in us all man- 
ner of concupiscence, Rom. 
vii. 8, 23. 

The Sin against the 
Holy Ghost, as it rejects 
and tramples on all his evi- 
dence and convictions, is 
called the sin unto death, be- 
cause, being never pardoned, 
it inevitably ruins men. 1 
John v. 16. The exact na- 
ture of this sin is not easily 
determined. It seems, how- 
ever, to require words spoken 
as well as thoughts indulged. 
Matt. xii. 32. 

What we render sin-offer- 
ing, is often the same in the 
Hebrew as what we render 
sin. Lev. iv. 3, 25, 29. And 
the priests are said to eat sin ; 
i. e. with pleasure feast on 
sin-offerings. Hos. iv. 8. 
Christ is said to be " made sin, 
that we might be made the 
righteousness of God in him j" 
i. e. he had our sins charged 
to his account, and was made 
a sin-offering. 2 Cor. v. 21. 
1 Pet. ii. 24. Isa. liii. 6. 

SIN, the name of several 
places mentioned in the Old 
Testament. 

1. The desert south of 
Judea. Deut. xxxii. 51. 



SIN 



241 



SIN 



£. The city Pelusium, in 
Egypt, now extinct. 

3. A country called also 
SlNlM, which is probably 
China. Isa. xlix. 12. 

SINAI, the mountain on 
which Jehovah appeared to 
Moses, and gave the law. 
The Hebrews came to this 
place in the third month of 
their pilgrimage. The law 
was given, it is thought, just 
fifty days after their exodus 
from Egypt j and hence the 
Pentecost was observed on 
the SOiii day after the Pass- 
over. This mount stands in 
Arabia Petrea, and is called 
by the Arabs Jibbil Mousa, 
or the Mountain of Moses. 
and sometimes El Tor, or the 
Mount. It has two summits, 
Horeb and Sinai ; which 
last is much the higher, and 
is called the Mount of God. 
The ascent is very steep, and 
is by steps, which the Em- 
press Helena, the mother of 
Constantine the Great, caused 
to be cut in the rock. These 
are now so much worn and de- 
cayed, as to make the ascent 
tedious and difficult. At the 
top of Sinai, there is an un- 
even and rugged place, suf- 
ficient to hold 60 persons. 
Here stands a chapel, and 
near to it is a fountain of fresh 
water. At the bottom, in a 
narrow valley, is the convent 
of St. Catharine, enclosed by 
high walls without a door, to 
preserve them from Arab rob- 
bers. Whoever wishes to 
enter, is drawn up in a bas- 
21 



ket. Mount Sinai, says NiE- 
BUHR.has numerous beautifu. 
springs, but they are not so 
copious as to unite and form 
streams that last the whole 
year. Various modern trav- 
ellers have ascended to the 
summit of this mount } but 
the Arabs practise upon them 
great impositions. 

SINCERITY, pureness of 
mind ; without double-dealing. 
The word is derived from the 
Latin sincerus, composed of 
sine, without, and cera, wax ; 
or pure honey. 1 Cor. v. 8. 
The Greek word eiXiKptveia, 
translated sincerity, means an 
evident purity when held up 
in the light of the sun, as we 
would examine water. 2 Cor. 
i. 12. 

SINGING has always been 
a part of divine worship, by 
heathens, Jews, and Chris- 
tians. The gospel not only 
authorizes it by example, 
Matt. xxvi. 30, but expressly 
enjoins it. E ph. v. 19. Col. 
iii. 16. It should be performed 
with an understanding of its 
nature and importance, and 
with spiritual emotions. Pres. 
Edwards observes that, " as 
it is the command of God, 
that all should sing, so all 
should make a conscience of 
learning to sing, as it is an 
exercise that cannot be de- 
cently performed without 
learning. Those, therefore, 
(where there is no natural in- 
ability,) who neglect to learn 
to sing, live in sin, as they 
neglect what is necessary ia 



SLA 



242 



SLI 



order to their attending" one 
of the ordinances of God's 
worship." 

Singing" was by the early 
Christians usually performed 
in a standing" posture. The 
mode of pronunciation was 
clear and intelligible, not 
greatly varying from a reci- 
tative tone. Those modern 
tunes which almost preclude 
intelligible enunciation tend 
to defeat the object of the or- 
dinance. The Jewish hymns 
were accompanied with va- 
rious musical instruments to 
assist the voices of the Le- 
vites. 

SIS'ERA, a general of the 
Canaanites, under Jabiri II. 
Jael invited him into her 
house, and being instigated 
of God to destroy this mur- 
derous idolater and devoted 
Canaanite, she drove a nail 
through his temples. 

SISTER, a term of con- 
siderable latitude with the 
Hebrews ; being applied to 
all very near relations. Matt, 
xii. 50 ; xiii. 56. Sarah, who 
was Abraham's niece, is there- 
fore, truly called his sister. 
Gen. xii. 13, and xx. 12. 

SITH, an obsolete word, 
meaning since, or because. 
Jer. xv. 7. Ezek. xxxv. 6. 

SI'VAN, the third month 
o* the Jewish sacred year. 
See Month. 

SLANDER, the uttering 
of false accusations against 
jniolher. It may consist in 
surmises or assertions 3 in 
imputing bad motives to cor* 



rect actions 3 in partial and 
lame accounts of our neigh- 
bor's conduct 5 in putting 
false constructions on words 
or conduct 3 in magnifying 
real faults 3 in imputing con- 
sequences to our neighbor's 
conduct, which do not, or 
may not follow 3 and in any 
way of speaking, which shall 
be designed to injure one's 
fame, safety, or welfare- 
Christians should be anxious 
to guard against the very ap- 
pearance of this odious vice. 

SLAVE.See Sell,Serve. 

SLIME was used by the 
builders of Babel instead of 
mortar. It is called in the 
Septuagint version asphaltos ; 
and is bitumen, or a kind of 
pitch. Great quantities of it 
are still found in the neigh- 
borhood of ancient Babylon. 
Herodotus, Dioscorides, Jus- 
v n, Vitruvius, Strabo, Dio- 
dv>rus Siculus, &c, speak of 
its being used as mortar. 

The slime pits of Sidim 
were mud holes or springs, 
out ol' which issued this liquid 
bitumen, or naphtha. It was 
used in the process of em- 
balming, and was hence call- 
ed gummi funerumj and 
mumia. See Pitch. 

SLING, one of the earliest 
weapons invented by man 
By long practice, wonderful 
skill is attained in the use of 
it, as was the case with the 
Benjamites,who, "with either 
hand, could sling stones at a 
hair, and not miss." Judges 
xx. 16* 



SMY 



243 



SO A 



SMITE, a word nsed in 
Scripture as meaning" to kill. 
Thus the Lord smote Nabal. 
To u smite with the tongue," 
Is to utter reproaches. To 
" smite the thigh," denotes 
amazement or indignation. 
Jer. xxxi. 19. 

SMYRNA, a city of Ionia, 
built by the Amazons, about 
40 miles north of Ephesus. It 
was famous as early as the 
time of Homer, whose birth- 
place it claims to be. About 
a. m. 3400, the Lydians de- 
stroyed it ; but it was rebuilt 
300 years after. A Christian 
church was planted here very 
early j the membe's of which 
maintained thc'v holy faith 
with such ex'".<?tness, that in 
the divine epistles sent them 
by John, %iere is no reproof, 
but only praise and direction. 
Rev. ii* 8, 9, 10. At the time 
Christianity was introduced 
here, Smyrna was in all its 
glory, abounding in wealth, 
works of art, and schools of 
learning. Persecution soon 
raged against the Christians $ 
but after Polycarp and many 
others had laid down their 
lives for Christ, multitudes 
were converted. It has often 
suffered from earthquakes, 
plague, fires, and war 5 but 
at present is one of the most 
flourishing places in the Le- 
vant 3 having a large and 
good harbor, and sustaining 
an active commerce with all 
nations. During the late rev- 
olutionary struggle, this city 
suffered dreadfully j but as 



Greece is now free, it may be 
expected to regain its ancient 
prosperity. Before the rev- 
olution, it contained 100,000 
souls, of which above 10,000 
were Christians of the Greek 
church ; 5,000 Armenians 5 
the rest Turks, Jews, &c. 

SNAIL occurs but twice in 
our translation. In Lev. xi. 
30, critics are confident that 
some sort of lizard is intend- 
ed. In Ps. lviii. 8, the true 
snail is certainly meant, though 
the LXX. and Vulgate have 
rendered it wax. 

SNARE, a trap; meta 
phorically, whatever tends to 
entangle us in evil. The 
Lord Jesus is a " snare," 
when, on account of the lowli 
ncss of himself and people, 
men's corrupt propensities 
will not allow them to accept 
the gospel, and so their guilt 
is increased. Isa. viii. 14. 
God " rains snares" on men, 
when he punishes them, by 
letting them fall into the con- 
sequences of their sins. Ps. 
xi. 6. Ez. xii. 13. 

SNOW falls occasionally 
in Palestine, and always in 
flakes as large as a chestnut. 
Hence the expression, <l He 
giveth snow like wool." Ps. 
cxlvii. 17. It was brought 
from Lebanon and sold in the 
hot season, to cool wine, &c, 
as ice is in our cities. Its 
water was considered very 
cleansing. Job ix. 30. 

SOAP, a word whi^h oc- 



curs only Jer. 



and 



Mai. iii. 2. It seems to mean 



SOD 



244 



S OR 



some cleansing' herb ; prob- 
ably the borithf or saltwort, 
a very common plant in Syria 
and parts adjacent. The na- 
tives burn it, and leach the 
ashes. The water becomes 
impregnated with a strong 
salt, very proper for removing 
stains from cloth. There is 
also an unctuous kind of earth 
called steatites, or soap-earth, 
of much esteem in the baths 
of the East for cleansing and 
softening the skin. Harris 
thinks it probable that the 
two mules' burden of earth, 
taken by Naaman, were for 
this use. 2 Kings v. 17. The 
barilla, as our dealers call it, 
which is brought to this coun- 
try from Spain and the Med- 
iterranean, is thought to be 
the plant borith, above men- 
tioned. Jer. ii. 22. Mai. 
iiL 2. 

SOCKET, a kind of mor- 
tise in which the pillars of the 
tabernacle were fixed. A 
vast number of sockets were 
made, of which one hundred 
were of silver, a talent to 
each. Ex. xxviii. 27, xxvi. 
37 ; xxxviii. 27. The weight 
of these sockets tended to 
make the pillars stand firm. 

SODOM, Gomorrah, Ad- 
mah, Zeboim, and Zoar, were 
five cities of the Canaanites. 
In the days of Abraham they 
had each a king. The Dead 
Sea now covers the site of 
these cities. Jude 7. The 
Scripture account of the over- 
throw of these cities is cor- 
roborated by the accounts of 



Strabo, Diodorus Siculus, 
Tacitus, Solinus, &c. 

SOLOMON'S history is 
full of interest, and amply 
given in Scripture. He was 
the author of several books, 
besides those in the Bible, 
viz. 3000 Proverbs, 1005 
Songs, besides works on bot- 
any, natural history, and 
commerce. 

SONG of Solomon, a 
sublime mystical allegory, 
representing the reciprocal 
love of Christ and the church. 
In 1 Kings iv. 32. we are in- 
formed that Solomon's Songs 
were a thousand and Jive, of 
which this is supposed to be 
the chief for length and gran- 
deur, or as being inspired, 
and is hence called a Song 
of Songs. 

SOOTHSAYER. See 
Sorcerer. 

SORCERERS, conjurers, 
or those who undertake to 
disclose secrets, or foretell 
events, by magical or diabol- 
ical power. Acts xiii. 8. 
They claimed the power of 
calling up departed spirits. 1 
Sam. xxviii. $ of inflicting 
plagues, Ex. viii. 18, (fee. 
The damnation of such as 
addict themselves to the prac- 
tice of sorcery, is often de- 
clared. Isa. xlvii. 9. Rev. 
xxi. 8, and xxii. 15. 

SORROW, inward pain, 
arising from guilt or affliction. 
It is said " the sorrow of this 
world workelh death ;" that 
is, mere distress without re- 
gard to God and looking to 



sou 



245 



SPA 



him for help, breaks the 
heart, and brings us to the 
grave. Scripture cautions 
against it. Prov. xxv. 20. 
1 Thess. iv. 13. "Godly sor- 
row" is grief tempered with 
reliance on God. " The sor- 
rows of hell," Ps. xviii. 5, 
are mental troubles of great 
magnitude. 

SOUL, 1. That spiritual, 
rational, and immortal part or 
substance in man, which dis- 
tinguishes him from the brute 
creation, and bears some re- 
semblance to its Divine Ma- 
ker; which possesses con- 
sciousness of its own exist- 
ence, and actuates, directs, 
or disposes in all the relations 
of life. The Scripture as- 
cribes to beasts a soul, which 
may be a secondary accep- 
tation of the word, as having 
the same import with breath 
or respiration, which is the 
general principle of animal 
life. But man alone has an 
immortal soul, possessing the 
knowledge of God, wisdom, 
immortality, the hope of fu- 
ture happiness and of eternal 
life 3 and man alone is threat- 
ened with the punishment of 
anothei life, and the pains of 
hell ! That the Jews knew 
the immortality of the soul, 
seems evident from Balaam's 
feeling the difference between 
the death of a good and bad 
man, Numb, xxiii. 10 j from 
their believing in apparitions 
of the departed, 1 Sam. xxviii. 
13—15 ; Matt. xiv. 26, &c. 5 
and from the fact that the 
21* 



Sadducees, who denied it, 
were but a sect among them. 
But their ideas on this point 
were vague compared with 
those we derive from the New 
Testament. It is most true 
that by Christ was the truth 
first fully and clearly dis- 
closed. 2 Tim. i. 10. All 
that the heathen knew or 
taught concerning the future 
state of the soul was from 
confused tradition or mere 
poetical fancy. 

2. Soul is sometimes » l sed 
for a human creature, or the 
whole person, both soul and 
body. Gen. xii. 5. Numb, 
xi. 6. Acts ii. 41. When 
the soul and spirit are spoken 
of together, spirit probably 
means the temper. 

SPAIN anciently compre- 
hended what is now Portugal, 
i. e. the whole peninsula. In 
the time of the apostles, it be- 
longed to Rome. Paul in- 
tended to visit this country, 
but whether he did so or not, 
is uncertain. Rom.xv.24 — 28. 

SPARROW, a very small, 
well known bird. It is gre- 
garious and remarkably live- 
ly 3 and when lamed, or de- 
serted by its mate, seems 
quite disconsolate. Ps. cii. 7. 
Sparrows were so cheap at 
Jerusalem, that u five were 
sold for two farthings." Luke 
xii. 6. The care of Divine 
Providence is therefore most 
strikingly depicted when his 
minute attention to them is 
declared. Matt. x. 29. Ps. 
civ. 24—31. 



SP1 



246 



SPI 



SPECTACLE, a public 
show. The Romans were re- 
markably fond of shows and 
games. The theatres for this 
purpose were sometimes very 
splendid ; generally round, 
like our circuses, and with- 
out a roof. One of the com- 
mon exhibitions was to put 
criminals in the arena, and 
let loose wild beasts upon 
them. Hence the apostle's 
allusion, Heb. x. 32, 33. 
Perhaps when he says he 
" fought with beasts at Ephe- 
sus," he means literally that 
he was thus exposed. 1 Cor. 
xv. 32. Those who were not 
condemned to certain death. 
were allowed weapons of de- 
fence. When the company, 
which was always va' \ had 
enjoyed the horrid sigh* of 
these contests, in which vhe 
criminal was generally victor, 
then were brought those cap- 
itally condemned, who were 
allowed no weapons, nor 
even raiment 5 and were 
of course soon destroyed. 
To the latter class Paul 
seems to compare ministers, 
when he says they are " set 
forth last, as it were ap- 
pointed unto death, being 
made a spectacle to the 
world, to angels, and to men." 
1 Cor. iv. 9. 

SPICE, any aromatic drug. 
Spices were very much used 
by the ancients to season food, 
give flavor to wine, embalm 
the dead, perfume their per- 
sons and beds, and to bum 
as incense in public worship. 



SPIDER, a venomous, 
cruel, and crafly insect, men- 
tioned but three times in the 
Bible, and each time in allu- 
sion to wicked men. Job 
viii. 14. Isa. lix. 4 — 7. Prov. 
xxx. 28. The story of the 
bite of that species called 
tarantula being only curable 
by music, is a ridiculous fable. 

SPIKENARD, a very fra- 
grant species of grass, which, 
when trodden upon, fills the 
air with sweetness. The ear 
is about the size of one's fin- 
ger, and is of a strong smell 
and bitterish taste. The me- 
dicinal properties reside prin- 
cipally in the root. The 
ointment made of it is very 
precious, and was a favorite 
perfumv at ancient baths and 
feasf. Mark xiv. 3. It is 
ca'led by Horace, "unguen- 
„um nardi spicatae," and con- 
tained the very essence of 
the plant. A pound of it in 
the days of Christ was worth 
300 denarii, equal to forty 
dollars, a great sum at that 
time. John xii. 3. The best 
spikenard comes from India. 
When cultivated in gardens, 
it attains to the height of five 
or six feet. 

SPIRIT, an incorporeal 
being, as God, John iv. 24; 
angels, Heb. i. 14 ; and the 
human soul, Acts vii. 59 j 
the Holy Ghost, the third 
person in the adorable Trin- 
ity, Matt. iii. 16 ; equal in 
power and glory with the 
Father and the Son. 1 John 
v. 7. He inspired the ancient 



SPI 



247 



ST A 



prophets to foretell future 
events, 2 Pet i. 21 ; and be- 
stowed on the apostles mirac- 
ulous gifts. Acts ii. He now 
quickens, illuminates, sancti- 
fies and comforts the people 
of God. John iii. 5. 1 Pet. 
i. 2, and John xiv. 26. See 
Holy Ghost. 

Discerning of spirits , which 
was once a miraculous minis- 
terial gift, was the power of 
discovering impostors in the 
ministry. 1 Cor. xii. 10. 1 
John iv. 1. Rev. ii. 2. 

Quenching the Spirit, is 
a metaphorical expression, 
meaning to force as it were, 
by our sins, the Holy Spirit 
to withdraw from us. Or it 
may mean suppressing the 
graces of the Spirit, which are 
compared to light and heat ; 
or, still more probably, the 
gifts of the Spirit are meant. 

Grieving the Spirit may 
be done both by saints and 
sinners, in committing .any 
sin, Eph. iv. 30 ; by resisting 
conviction of duty; by living 
in a lukewarm condition ; or 
by abusing his favors, through 
vanity, curiosity, or negli- 
gence. 2 Tim. i. 6. See 
Soul. 

SPIRITUAL, that which 
belongs to sDirits. The church 
is a spiritual house ; her 
members are renewed in 
spirit ; Jesus is her founda- 
tion j and his Spirit and grace 
connect them with him, and 
with one another. 1 Pet. ii. 
6. Prophets and ministers are 
spiritual men, because their 



office lies in spiritual exer 
cises. Hos. ix. 7. God's law 
is spiritual ; it is a transcript 
of the divine nature. It is 
given by the HoJy Ghost, and 
extends its scrutiny and au- 
thority to duties of a spiritual 
nature. Rom. vii. 14. 

We are required to be 
spiritually minded ; that is, 
to have our joys, exercises, 
objects and motives spiritual. 
Such as have not this spirit- 
ual mindedness are said to be 
" dead," while such as possess 
it have "life and peace." 
Rom. viii. 5 — 9. 

SPONGE, a sub-marine 
substance, produced, like cor- 
al, by insects who inhabit it. 
Its innumerable and delicate 
cells make it imbibe water 
easily, and as easily part with 
it under pressure. Matt, 
xxvii. 48. 

STACTE, a fragrant gum, 
of amber color, supposed to 
distil from the myrrh-tree. 
The only difference between 
the stacte and gum myrrh, 
seems to be that the former 
oozed spontaneously from the 
tree, and was perfectly pure, 
while the latter was obtained 
by incision, and was generally 
less excellent. It is men- 
tioned Ex. xxx. 34, only. 

STAR, a bright heavenly 
body, seen in the night. Un- 
der the name star, the Jews 
comprehended all the heaven- 
ly bodies, except the sun and 
moon. We now speak of 
them as distinct from planets. 
Some stars are fixed, that is. 



STA 



245 



STA 



retain the same relative dis- 
tance from the stars which 
surround them 3 others revolve 
round the sun, viz. planets 
and comets. The naked eye 
can perceive only about 1000. 
The telescope of Mr. Flam- 
stead enabled him to discover 
about 3000. The prodigious 
telescope of Herschel render- 
ed visible innumerable stars 
which had before been hidden 
from our knowledge. The 
ancient heathen worshipped 
the Sun, Moon, Mercury, 
Mars, Jupiter, Venus, and 
Saturn, for planets, i. e. wan- 
dering luminaries 3 and as our 
fathers worshipped these, they 
dedicated the several days 
of the week to them, as the 
names they still bear indicate. 
But according to the new 
astronomy, the solar system 
consists of eleven primary 
planets, Mercury, Venus, the 
Earth, Mars, Vesta, Juno, 
Ceres, Pallas, Jupiter, Saturn 
and Herschel 3 and eighteen 
secondary planets, of which 
the Earth has one, viz. the 
Moon 3 Jupiter has four, Sa- 
turn seven, and Herschel six. 
All these planets move round 
the sun, as well as round their 
own axes 3 and the satellites 
move also round the planets. 
They appear luminous by the 
reflection of the rays of the 
sun. The distance of the 
fixed stars from the sun, ren- 
ders it impossible for them to 
be illuminated by the reflec- 
tion of his rays. It is thought 
that many of them are equal 



to our sun in magnitude, and 
only appear small by reason 
of their distance. The near- 
est fixed star is Sirius, or the 
Dog Star, whose distance is 
calculated to be not less than 
400,000 times greater than 
that of the sun ! Some stars 
are calculated to be six lum~ 
dred times farther than Sir- 
ius ! Hence it would take 
four thousand years for their 
light to reach us. As new 
stars have become visible in 
later times, perhaps there are 
some whose light, since the 
creation, has but now reached 
our earth, though it travels 
thirteen millions of miles in a 
minute. How immense must 
He be, whom the heavens, 
and the heaven of heavens, 
cannot contain ! Who num- 
bers the stars and calls them 
by their names ! Ps. cxlvii. 
4. We have a few of their 
names in Scripture, as Chiun, 
Mazzaroth, Arcturus, Orion, 
and Pleiades. 

The star which conducted 
the wise men to the infant 
Jesus, was probably a meteor 
which moved in the air. Matt, 
ii. Jesus Christ is called the 
Morning Star, by a similitude 
borrowed from a star which 
usually rises shortly before 
the sun, as he introduced the 
light of the gospel-day, and 
brought a fuller manifestation 
of the truths of God, than the 
prophets, whose predictions 
are now accomplished. 

By stars are sometime* 
meant the princes and nobles 



STO 



249 



STO 



of a kingdom, Dan. viii. 10 ; 
and sometimes pastors or 
ministers of the gospel, wlio 
ought to *sh<ne like stars in 
their lives and doctrine. Rev. 
i. 20. The angels are also 
called stars. Job xxxviii. 7. 
In Scripture, an extraordi- 
nary multitude is often ex- 
pressed under the similitude 
of the stars of heaven. 

STAVES, plural of staff; 
a word not now often used. 
Mark xiv. 43. 

STEEL, iron combined 
with about one part of carbon 
in about 200 of iron. The word 
occurs very seldom, and prob- 
ably ought to be rendered 
copper. It is in fact so trans- 
lated Job xxviii. 2, and xl. 18, 
as well as in various other 
places. 

STEWARD, one who man- 
ages the affairs of another, and 
is accountable to him for the 
proper discharge of the duties 
of his office. The ministers 
of Jesus Christ are " stewards 
of the mysteries of God," be- 
ing intrusted with the man- 
agement of God's people, and 
the distribution of their spir- 
itual food. 1 Cor. iv. 1. 1 
Pet. iv. 10. Indeed, all man- 
kind are stewards under God, 
and must give an account to 
him of all the talents with 
which they have been intrust- 
ed. We should therefore at- 
tend seriously to our impor- 
tant charge, and stand pre- 
pared for our Lord's appear- 
ance. Matt. xxv. Tit. i. 7. 

STOCKS, an instrument 



of punishment. The offender 
sits on a block, with his legs 
extended, and fastened be- 
tween planks, which have 
openings to receive the ankles. 
Acts xvi. 24. 

STOICS, a sect of hea- 
then philosophers, founded by 
Zeno of Cyprus, so called 
from his teaching in the Stoa, 
or porch, at Athens. Re- 
garding pain, poverty, be- 
reavement, &c, as only 
imaginary evils, and the grat- 
ifications of life as only imagi- 
nary pleasures, they tried to 
preserve a cool indifference 
under all circumstances. Paul 
argued with them when in 
Athens. Acts xvii. 18. Some 
of Zeno's opinions owe their 
degree of truth to his knowl- 
edge of the Old Testament, 
and some he gathered from 
the writings of Socrates and 
Plato. One of his favorite 
sayings was, that " men, hav- 
ing two ears, should hear 
much ; and one mouth, should 
speak little." 

STONE, a hard body, 
formed of some species ef 
earth, &c. A white stone is 
promised to the victorious 
Christian, Rev. ii. 17, proba- 
bly in allusion to the custom 
of giving such a token to the 
victors at the Grecian games, 
by which they were entitled 
to public honors and to public 
maintenance. See Rack. 

STONING, the punish- 
ment generally appointed in 
the law of Moses for capital 
offences. One of the v i'nesses 



STO 



250 



sue 



first threw the culprit on 
the ground. Then another 
cast upon his breast a great 
stone ; kept for the purpose at 
the place of execution. Then, 
if he were not dead, the mul- 
titude present stoned him 
also. Paul was stoned at Lus- 
tra, and left for dead by the 
mob 5 but as his brethren 
stood round him lamenting, 
he rose up and returned into 
the city. Acts xiv. 19. 

A " corner stone/ 7 or chief 
stone, might be, as Calmet 
says, either in the foundation, 
at an angle of the building, or 
at the top of the wall. It 
could, therefore, either be 
stumbled upon, or could fall 
on a man, which explains 
Matt. xxi. 42. See also 1 
Pet. ii. 6. Deut. xvii. 5—7. 

STORK, a bird about the 
size of a goose 3 but as it ob- 
tains its food by wading in 
the mud, and not by swim- 
ming, it has very long legs, 
and a neck in proportion. It is a 
bird of passage, Jer. viii. 7, and 
frequented the region round 
Cana and Nazareth in great 
flocks, which the inhabitants 
did not molest, chiefly because 
they ate up injurious insects 
and reptiles. Such being its 
chosen food, may furnish the 
reason why it was not to be 
eaten by the Israelites. Lev. 
xi. 19. It is remarkable for 
its love to its parents. Bo- 
chart and Scheuchzer 
have collected many testimo- 
nies to this fact from the an- 
cients. Its very name, in the 



Hebrew language, signifiei 
mercy or piety. In Holland, 
and elsewhere in Europe, 
where this bird is common, it 
builds its nest in high towers, 
or on the tops of houses. But 
in Palestine, and such hot 
countries, where the roofs are 
flat, and frequented by the 
people of the house, the stork 
builds its nest in lofty trees. 
Ps. civ. 17. 

STRANGLE, to kill by 
suffocation, or without shed- 
ding the blood. It is forbid- 
den Christians to eat animals 
killed in this way. Acts xv. 
20—25. 

STRAW, or more properly 
strew; to scatter, or spread 
abroad. Matt. xxv. 24. 

STUBBLE, the stalks left 
in a field of grain which has 
been reaped. Stubble is of 
little value 5 of no strength or 
force 3 is easily scattered by 
the wind ; and easily burnt. 
Jobxiii. 25 5 xli. 29 5 xxi. 18. 
Joel ii. 5. To it wicked men 
are compared. Ps. Ixxxiii. 
14. Isa. xl. 24. Mai. iv. 1. 
False doctrines are as stub- 
ble, of no worth 5 of no force 
to convince or comfort men's 
consciences, and cannot abide 
the trial of God's word. 1 
Cor. iii. 12. 

SUCCOTH means tents. 
There were two places of this 
name. (1.) In Egypt, where 
the Hebrews first set up their 
tents. Ex. xii. 37. (2.) A 
city east of Jordan, and south 
of the Sea of Galilee, where 
Jacob set up his tents or 



SUN 



251 



SUN 



succoth, as he came from 
Padanaram. Ger.. xxxiii. 17. 
It seems probable that in the 
valley near it ; Hiram cast the 
»arge utensils for the temple. 
Ps. Ix. 6. 1 Kings vii. 46. 

SUMMER, the warm sea- 
son of the year. Gen. viii. 
22. In countries north of the 
equinoctial line it begins in 
June, and ends in September. 
South of the equinoctial, it 
begins in December, and ends 
in March. Seasons of pros- 
perity, and of opportunities 
of salvation, are called sum- 
mer. Prov. x. 5. Zech. xiv. 8. 

SUN, the great source of 
light and heat ; brought into 
existence o.i the fourth day 
of creation. The diameter 
of the sun is about 800,000 
miles. His distance from our 
earth is ninety-five millions 
of miles j so that light, which 
.flies at the inconceivable 
swiftness of two hundred 
thousand miles in a second, 
Requires eight minutes to 
reach our earth ! A cannon 
ball shot thence, and moving 
with unabated swiftness, viz. 
^(according to Durham,) a 
mile in eight and a half sec- 
onds, would take about thirty 
[years to reach our earth ! 
The spots which often appear 
on the sun have never been 
'^satisfactorily accounted for. 
,Herschel thought them to 
„arise from chasms in the sun's 
jatmosphere, caused tempora- 
rily, by the ascent of gases. 
'Three miraculous events are 
"elated of the sun. It stood 



still at the command of Joshua. 
Chap. x. 12. It returned back 
in the time of King Heze- 
kiah. 2 Kings xx. 11. It 
was involved in darkness, at 
the time of our Saviour's cru- 
cifixion, though the moon was 
then at the full, which proves 
it was not an ordinary eclipse. 
Matt, xxvii. 45. Multitudes, 
from the brightness and use- 
fulness of the sun, have wor- 
shipped it, under the charac- 
ters of Baal, Chemosh, Mo- 
loch, Phoebus, &c. Even the 
Jews at times worshipped this 
luminary, and Josiah had to 
take away the horses, and 
burn the chariots, consecrated 
to the sun. 2 Kings xxiii. 11. 
After his death, we again find 
the Jews worshipping the 
sun. Ezek. viii. 16. 

" From the rising to the 
setting of the sun," imports 
the whole world over. Ps. 
cxiii. 3. " Before the sun," or 
" in the face of the sun," im- 
ports the most daring, public, 
and open manner. Jer. viii. 
2. Numb. xxv. 4. To con- 
tinue while the "sun and moon 
endure," is to last very long, 
or forever. Ps. lxxii. 5, 17. 
Christ is called the " Sun of 
Righteousness," as he en- 
lightens, quickens, and com- 
forts his people. " A woman 
clothed with the sun," and 
having the moon under her 
feet, signifies the church, 
clothed with the righteous- 
ness of Christ, and rising 
superior to worldly things. 
Rev. xii. 1. 



SUP 



252 



SUR 



SUPERSCRIPTION, that 
which is written on the top or 
outside of any thing. Matt, 
xxii. £0. It was the custom 
of the Romans to write on a 
tablet or board the crime for 
which any man suffered death. 
This tablet they carried before 
the offender to the place of 
execution, and fastened it 
over his head, that all might 
read his transgression, and 
beware of violating the laws 
of their country. Hence the 
superscription written over 
the head of Jesus Christ, as 
recorded by all the evange- 
lists. Matt, xxvii. 37. 

SUPERSTITION, foolish 
fears, or extravagant fancies j 
mistaken devotion in divine 
worship ; the performance of 
uncommanded rites ; and ex- 
travagant dependence on such 
as are of divine institution ; 
a servile and slavish mode of 
serving God j or too much 
ceremony in religion, without 
due regard being paid to the 
attainment of inward holiness. 
Those are superstitious who 
are alarmed at the howl of a 
dog, the spilling of salt, are 
afraid of ghosts, witches, &c. 
A proper regard to the divine 
government would assure us 
of our perfect safety from all 
evil, so long as we trusted in 
God and obeyed him. When 
Paul tells the Athenians, he 
perceived " they were too 
superstitious," he did not use 
a word which conveyed to 
them any reproach. This 
would have been contrary to 



his usual courtesy and tact. 
He in fact said, " I perceive 
you are greatly addicted to 
religious observances," a most 
graceful and ingenious in- 
troduction to his powerful 
discourse. 

SUPPERwas an important 
meal with the ancients. Mark 
vi. 21. Luke xiv. 12—24. 
John xii. 2. Rev. xix. 9—17. 

After eating the Passover, 
our Saviour instituted that 
solemn ordinance which is 
called the Lord's Supper. 1 
Cor. xi. 20. In this rite we 
spiritually feed upon Christ 
the living bread. Rom. iii. 
20. 1 Cor. xi. It is called 
the communion because we 
therein commune both with 
Christ and our brethren. It 
is not a sacrifice, as the Ro- 
man Catholics regard it, but 
a commemoration. It is to be 
observed till the end of the 
world. 1 Cor. xi. 26. None 
are to partake, but such as 
have been baptized and main- 
tain a credible profession of 
religion. 

SURETY, one who be- 
comes bound for another. 
Sins are called debts, Matt, 
vi. 12, and Jesus Christ is 
called the Surety. Heb. vii. 
22. Christ fulfilled the law 
by the holiness of his life, and 
underwent the penalty when 
he offered up himself a sacri- 
fice to satisfy divine justice. 
The Scripture forbids sureti* 
ship, or engagement for the 
payment of another person's 
debt. Prov. xi, 15 j xxii. 2d 



S WE 



253 



S YC 



SWALLOW, a small bird, 
nearly black, which migrates 
to warmer countries every 
winter j but returns, often to 
the very nest occupied before, 
which it constructs generally 
under the eaves of houses, in 
chimneys, &c. It seems some 
had their nests round the 
ceilings of the temple. Ps. 
lxxxiv. 3. In countries not 
very cold, swallows often 
venture to remain during 
winter, and fixing themselves 
in caves or clefts of moun- 
tains, or secluded buildings, 
become torpid. But it is not 
true, that they conceal them- 
selves under water, or in 
marshes. 

SWAN. The Hebrew 
word so rendered is very 
ambiguous, and is translated, 
Lev. xi. 30, mole. The Sep- 
tuagint renders it ibis ; and 
Parkhurst considers it to be 
the goose, because the word 
imports breathing in a strong 
manner, or hissing, as the 
goose is known to do. It 
occurs Lev. xi. 18, and Deut. 
xiv. 16. 

SWEAR, to make a sol- 
emn appeal to Almighty God, 
desiring his mercy and pro- 
tection no otherwise than as 
the matter or thing affirmed is 
true or false $ — to declare, 
promise, or give evidence 
upon oath. We ought never 
to swear but upon very ur- 
gent necessity. Our Saviour, 
who came into the world not 
iO destroy the law, but to ful- 



fil it, forbade all profane 
oaths. Matt. v. 34. But he 
is not generally thought by 
learned men to have forbidden 
solemn swearing in a court of 
justice. On the contrary, 
his answering, when adjured 
by the high priest, may be 
considered in the light of an 
oath. See Oath. 

SWINE, the plural of hog. 
It was not only unclean by 
the Levitical law, but by the 
strict Jews was regarded as 
impure and detestable in the 
highest degree. They would 
not so much as pronounce its 
name, but called it the strange 
thing. Among the charges 
of gross sins, mentioned by 
Isaiah, the eating of swine's 
flesh is specified. Is. lxv. 4. 
The herds of swine kept in 
the country of the Gergesenes, 
were probably intended to 
supply idolaters with food and 
victims, but was a violation 
of the law of Moses. Matt, 
viii. 30—32. The sottish 
slavery of persons devoted to 
sensuality, and their con- 
temptuous rejection of re- 
proof, is strikingly indicated 
by their being compared to 
swine trampling pearls under 
their feet. Matt. vi. 6. 

SYCAMINE. Critics do 
not agree whether or not this 
is the same tree as the syca- 
more. Much learning has 
been displayed by Hiller 
and Celsius to prove it to 
be the morus or mulberry-tree. 
It occurs Luke xvii. 6, only. 



SYN 



254 



SYR 



SYCAMORE, a tree which 
partakes of the properties both 
of the fig and mulberry. The 
Egyptians seem to be more 
fond of its fruit than any other 
people. It is always green, and 
is said to produce seven crops 
a year. The tree abounded in 
Palestine. 1 Kings x. 27. 

We find in 1 Chr. xxvii. 28, 
that the Jews highly prized it. 
It attains a great size, three 
men sometimes not being able 
to grasp one. The fruit is 
about the size of a fig, and is 
often called by that name, 
though not equal in flavor to 
the real fig. It is remarkable 
that the fruit does not grow 
on the branches and twigs, 
but on the trunk of the tree, 
attached by sprigs like grape 
stalks. The wood, though of 
coarse grain, is remarkable 
for durability. Mummy chests 
of it were found in the cata- 
combs by Shaw, and had re- 
mained sound for 3,000 years. 

SYENE, once an impor- 
tant city in the south of Egypt. 
Ezek. xxix. 10. It is now 
called Assoim. 

SYNAGOGUE, an as- 
sembly among the Jews for 
religious worship. The place 
where they met to pray, to 
read, and to hear the reading 
of the Holy Scriptures, and 
other instructions ; and where, 
by sermons and exhortations 
delivered to them, by proph- 
ets lorraerty, and afterwards 
by the doctors or teachers, 
the people were kept in the 
knowledge of God and his 



laws. They began to be 
used about the time of Ezra, 
and were very useful in keep- 
ing up a knowledge of God 
among the people. There 
was a council or assembly of 
reverend and wise persons, 
versed in the law, who had 
the care of all things belong- 
ing to the service of the syn- 
agogue, and the management 
of certain judicial affairs. 
Over these was set a presi- 
dent, called the U ruler of the 
synagogue." Luke viii. 41. 
As there was but one temple, 
and to this a resort was re- 
quired but thrice a year, and 
then by males only, such a 
mode of keeping the Sabbath 
became indispensable. Soon 
after the captivity, the Jews 
had great numbers of syna- 
gogues, which increased till 
there were about 480 of them 
in Jerusalem. Every trading 
fraternity had their syna- 
gogue j and companies of 
strangers, as Alexandrians, 
Cyrenians, and others, had 
theirs for public prayer, and 
for reading the Scriptures. 
Our Saviour and his apostles 
found the synagogues very 
convenient places for pro- 
claiming the good news from 
heaven. Luke iv. 20. 

There are in the United 
States Jive synagogues, viz. 
in Newport, New York Phil- 
adelphia, Richmond, and 
Charleston. The congrega- 
tions in each are small. 

SYRACUSE, a famous 
city, called also Saragossa, 



SYR 



255 



SYR 



on the south-east of Sicily, 
22 miles in circumference. 
It was founded a. m. 3269, 
and was once the largest and 
richest city of the Greeks. 
Archimedes, with astonishing" 
inventions, defended the place 
from the Romans ; but it was 
taken, and he was slain, about 
B. c. 208. The Saracens 
seized it a. p. 675; but in 
1090 it was taken from them 
by Roger, Duke of Apulia. 
Here Paul tarried three days, 
as he went prisoner to Rome. 
Christianity was early planted 
here, and still continues, at 
least in name. The city has 
wholly lost its ancient splen- 
dor. Acts xxviii. 12. 

SYRIA, or Aram. The 
Syrians descended from 
Aram, and possessed Meso- 
potamia, Chaldea, and part 
of Armenia. But Syria Pro- 
per had the Mediterranean 
Sea on the west, Cilicia on 
the north, the Euphrates on 
the east, and Canaan and part 
of Arabia the Desert on the 
south. Its good soil and no- 
ble rivers Euphrates, Orontes, 
Cassimere, Adonis. Barrady, 
&c. rendered it a delightful 
country. It was divided into 
various provinces, which de- 
rived their names from their 
situation and circumstance. 

C(ELO-Syria included the 
valley between the ridges of 
Libanus and Anti-Libanus. 
The word often occurs in the 



books of Maccabees, and sig- 
nifies Syria the Hollow. 

Syria of Damascus was 
a section stretching eastward 
along Mount Libanus, of 
which Damascus was the 
capital. Its limits varied ac- 
cording as its princes were 
more or less powerful. 1 Chr. 
xviii. 5. Isa.vii. 8. 

Syria of Rehob was 
that part of which Rehob 
was the metropolis. 2 Sam. 
x. 6. It bordered Palestine, 
and was given to Asher. 
Josh. xix. 28. 

Syria of Maachah lay 
beyond Jordan towards Leb- 
anon, and was given to Ma- 
nasseh. 2 Sam. x. 6. Deut. 
iii. 14. It is called Abelbeth 
Maacah. 2 Kings xv. 29. 

Tob, or Ishtob, was a 
province of Syria, in the 
neighborhood of Libanus. 
Jud. xi. 3, 5. 

Syria, without any other 
appellation, stands for the 
whole kingdom of Syria j of 
which Antioch became the 
capital, after the reign of the 
Seleucidae, before which the 
name is seldom used alone. 

SYRO-PHCENICIA was 
either that part of Phoenicia 
bordering on Syria, or per- 
haps the whole of Phoenicia, 
which by conquest had been 
united to Syria. The people 
were originally Canaanites. 
Gen. x. 15. Mark vii. 26. 
Matt. xv. 22—28. 



TAB 



256 



TAB 



T. 



TABERNACLE, (1.) A 
ten*, or temporary building, 
made to be carried from place 
io place. (2.) That particular 
tent in which the Israelites 
performed their religious ex- 
ercises, while in the wilder- 
ness. It was called, " the 
Tabernacle of the Congrega- 



tion." Ex. xxxiii. 7. Here, 
till the building of the temple, 
was kept the ark of the cove- 
nant, which was a symbol of 
God's gracious presence with 
the Jewish church. Ex. xxvi. 
1. Heb. ix. 2, 3. It was 45 
feet long and 15 wide. A good 
idea of the tabernacle, of its 
division into two parts, its pil- 
lars, boards, curtains and mode 
of erection, may be obtained 
from the following picture. 




Some men on ladders are sus- 
pending the curtains, while 
part of the boards and cover- 
ing are lying by the side. A 
curtain divided it into two 
apartments, the eastern one, 
called the Most Holy Place, 
being 15 feet square. Within 
the Holy Place stood the altar 
of incense, the candlestick, 
and the table of shew-bread. 
Within the Holy of Holies 



was the ark of the covenant 
with its mercy-seat, and over, 
shadowing cherubims, be- 
tween which rested the sheki- 
nah, or visible glory. SeeARK. 

It was a splendid and cost- 
ly structure ; but having been 
removed often, it became en- 
tirely worn out by the time 
Solomon's temple was ready. 

It stood in a court 150 feet 
long and 75 wide, enclosed by 



TAB 



257 



TAB 



rurtains 8 feet high, sustained 
by 56 pillars. Within this 
area stood the tabernacle, at 
the west end, and the altar of 
burnt-offering, brazen laver, 
&c. ; as seen in the following 
picture. 



The tabernacle was a type 
of Christ's human nature, 
wherein God dwells personal- 
ly. Heb. viii. 2. ix. 11. The 
natural body is the tabernacle 
of the soul. 2 Cor. v. 1. 2 
Pet. i. 13. The "tents of Ju 




dah," are such Jews as dwelt 
In unfortified cities. Zech. xii. 
7. The church's " tent was 
enlarged," and " her curtains 
stretched out," her " cords 
lengthened," and her "stakes 
strengthened/ 7 when the Gen- 
tiles were converted to Christ, 
and her gospel state establish- 
ed, Isa. liv. 2 ; and are to be 
still more wondrously so in 
the millennium. *' The taber- 
nacle of God is with men," 
when they enjoy his eminent 
fellowship and favor. Rev. 
xxi. 3. The church and her 
true members are like " the 
tents of Kedarj" their out- 
ward appearance is mean and 
22* 



despicable, and theircondition 
in this world very unsettled. 
Song i. 5. 

Feast of Tabernacles. See 
Feast. 

TABLE. The Jewish table 
mostly in use, was probably 
that now common in the East, 
viz. a circular piece of leather 
spread on the floor, on which 
the food is laid, while those 
who partake sit round with 
their legs crossed. Among 
those in high life, each guest 
had his separate table and 
mess. See cut under Knead- 
ing Trough. 

When the Jews returned 
from captivity; ihey brought 



TAB 



258 



TAL 



with them the more refined 
Persian method of eating, 
which was to have a table 
like ours, only shaped like a 
horse shoe, or three sides of a 
square. Against these were 
placed, not chairs,but couches, 
with their end to the table. 
The body reclined, propped 
by the left arm. The open 
space in the centre enabled 
the servants to perform their 
duty. Such a posture ena- 
bled Mary to come behind 
Christ to wash and anoint his 
feet. See the engraving, 
whence a true idea may be 
formed of this ancient mode 
of eating. 

TABOR, (1.) A conical 
mountain in Galilee. Josh, 
xix. 12, 22. It is about two 
miles high, and on the top is 
a beautiful plain about a mile 
in circumference, and enclos- 
ed by trees, except towards 
the south. From the top is 
one of the most delightful pros- 
pects in the world. On the 
north-west is seen the Mediter- 
ranean j west and south is 
the noble plain of Esdraelon 5 
south and east is Galilee, 
and north-east stretches away 
the beautiful Sea of Tiberias, 
famed for many miracles. On 
this mount, Barak assembled 
his army, and at the foot of 
it, defeated the host of Jabin. 
Judg. iv. 6, 8. It is thought 
by some, that here our Saviour 
was transfigured. (2.) The 
name of a city given by the 
Zebulonites to the Levites of 
Merari's family, 1 Chr. vi. 77 ; 



and of a place near Bethel, 
1 Sam. x. 3. 

TABRET. See Timbrel. 

TACHES, loops or clasps, 
by which the curtains of the 
tabernacle were buttoned. Ex. 
xxvi. 6. 

TADMOR, a noble city in 
the north of Canaan. Its im- 
mediate vicinity was exceed- 
ingly fertile, though at a little 
distance all was a sandy des- 
ert. It was probably built by 
Solomon, to facilitate his com- 
merce with the East. It sub- 
mitted to Rome a. d. 130. 
About 150 years afterward, 
the Saracens took it. Here 
lived Longimis. It is now 
famous, but only for its ruins. 
Abcut 30 poor families con- 
stitute its population. The 
modern name of the town is 
Palmyra. 

TAHAP'ANES, the same 
as Tehaph'enes, a large city 
in the north of Egypt, called 
by Herodotus the Pelusaic 
Daphne. Jer. ii. 16. Ezek. xxx. 
18. Hither many Jews emi- 
grated after the ruin of their 
country, and took Jeremiah 
with them. Jer. xliii. 7 — 9. 

TALENT, a Jewish coin 
or weight. Money of specific 
current value was not known 
in early times ; but gold and 
silver were weighed out when 
purchases were made. Gen. 
xxiii. 16, and xxxvii. 28. Jer. 
xxxii. 10. The Jews did not 
begin to coin money till about 
150 years before Christ. It is 
not clear what was the exact 
value of the talent. That of 



259 




TAP 



260 



TAR 



silver was probably some- 
where near 1,500 dollars, and 
that of gold about 25,000. 
Whatever gifts or opportuni- 
ties God gives to men for their 
usefulness, are called talents. 
To some he gives these in 
greater, and to others in less 
proportion ; but all ought to 
improve what they receive ; 
for of all will a strict account 
be exacted. Matt. xxv. Luke 
xix. When ourSaviourspeaks, 
in a parable, of the obligations 
we owe to God, and those 
which men owe to each other, 
he calls the first ten thousand 
talents, and the last a hundred 
pence j strikingly teaching us 
how small are our offences 
towards each other, compared 
with those we commit against 
God ! Matt, xviii. 24 — 28. 

TALMUD. See Tradi- 
tion. 

TAMMUZ, or Thammuz, 
an Egyptian deity, thought 
by some to be Apis, or Sera- 
pis, or Osiris, (three names 
for the same god,) and by oth- 
ers to be Adonis, whose un- 
timely death was honored by 
an annual mourning. Ezek. 
viii. 14. 

The 10th month of the Jew- 
ish civil year also bore this 
name. Jer. xxxix. 2. 

TA'NACH, city of, lay 
beyond Jordan, in the half 
tribe of Manasseh. Josh. xii. 
21. 

TAPESTR Y,cloth wrought 
into figures in the loom, or 
with the needle. It was used 
in the East, as early as the 



time of Solomon. The crusa- 
ders seem to have introduced 
the art of making it into Eu- 
rope about 600 years ago. 
The English and Flemish first 
distinguished themselves in 
making it. Its figures were 
frequently formed with threads 
of gold. Prov. vii. 16. It 
was used to cover beds and 
to ornament rooms, but is now 
become unfashionable. A 
species is still made in the 
royal Gobelin tapestry factory 
at Paris, which is not less 
beautiful and accurate than 
the most exquisite paintings, 
but is enormously expensive. 

TAP'PUAH, (1.) The 
same as Entappuah, in the 
south of Ephraim. Josh. xvii. 
7, 8. (2.) A city of the same 
name, in the canton of Judah. 
Josh. xv. 34. 

TARES, a weed injurious 
to grain, both by occupying 
space, and by the seed being 
unwholesome. In this coun- 
try, the wheat fan gets out the 
tare seed j but the ancient fan 
could not. [See Fan.] On 
this account, they pulled up 
the tares, or separated them 
before threshing, when the 
best flour was to be made. 
Mr. Fisk found on the plains 
round Ephesus some Greek 
men and women, employed in 
the fields of grain, pulling up 
tares. Matt. xiii. 28. This 
practice is now customary 
in England, and elsewhere. 
Travellers in Syria have seer 
the reapers separate the tare! 
from the wheat as they pro* 



TE I 



261 



TEM 



ceeded, and hind them in sep- 
arate bundles. See Matt. xiii. 
30. Sometimes a sieve is used. 
Thus Satan desired to sift Pe- 
ter as wheat. Luke xxii. 31. 
TARSHISH, or Tarsus. 
Therr appear to have been 
several places called by this 
name, viz. 

1. Tarsus in Cihcia, which 
was the capital of that coun- 
try, and stood on the river 
Cijdnus, about six miles from 
the sea, built, Strabo says, 
by Sardanapalus, the king of 
Assyria. It is said to have 
once excelled even Athens 
and Alexandria in learning j 
those cities, and even Rome 
itself, being indebted to it for 
their best professors. Julius 
Cesar, and afterward Octa- 
vius, delighted to honor it, 
and granted its citizens the 
same privileges as those of 
Rome j and hence Paul was 
here " free born." To evince 
their gratitude, the inhabitants 
called their city Juliopolis, or 
the city of Julius. This city 
at present is of no importance; 
but Christianity, planted here 
by Paul, has never been whol- 
ly eradicated. Its present 
name is Trassa. 

2. The name seems to be 
applied to Spain. Ps. lxxii. 
10. 

3. A place on the east of 
Africa, not far from Ophir. 
1 Kings x. 22. 

4. Carthage. Isa. xxiii.6. 
TEIL-TREE, the same as 

the linden. Its leaf resembles 
laurel, and its flower that of 



the olive. The word ^ccuu 
only Isa. vi. 13. The original 
word is every where else ren- 
dered oak. 

TE'KEL, a Chaldee word, 
signifying, Thou art weighed. 
See Upharsin. 

TEKO'A, a city of Jtidah, 
twelve miles south-east of Je- 
rusalem. Around it was an 
extensive wilderness, or pas- 
ture land, and forest. Amos, 
the prophet, kept a herd here, 
before his call to the ministry. 
Amos i. 1. 

TEL'ABIB, a city or 
district between the rivers 
Chebar and Saocoras. Ezek. 
iii. 15. 

TEMAN, a grandson of 
Esau, from whom descended 
the Temanites. Job iv. 1. The 
land ofEdom is so called. Jer. 
xlix. 20. Amos i. 12. 

TEMPERANCE, roodera 
tion j that command over our- 
selves, which enables us to 
abstain from excessive eating, 
drinking, or any other enjoy- 
ment. It is opposed to every 
excess by which the mental 
faculties are beclouded, or the 
moral habits rendered un- 
chaste. Luke xxi. 34. Phil. iv. 
5. Intemperance in the use 
of ardent spirits had become 
awfully prevalent in this coun- 
try, and threatened entire ruin, 
till vast numbers of good men, 
alarmed at the approaching 
crisis, rose to check the 
spreading evil. Associations 
were formed, newspapers es- 
tablished, agents employed, 
tracts circulated, addresses 



TEM 



262 



TEM 



delivered, (fee. ; and by the 
blessing 1 of God, the growth 
of the evil is not only checked, 
but a good measure of reform 
produced. It is the purpose 
of those who began to sound 
the alarm, not to cease till 
such liquors are only used as 
a medicine, according- to the 
Scriptures. Prov. xxxi. 6. 

TEMPLE. The word is 
sometimes applied to the tab- 
ernacle, 1 Sam. i. 9 ; Ps. xviii. 
6 j and sometimes the temple 
itself is called tabernacle, 2 
Chron. i. 5. But the word is 
chiefly applied to the house 
built at Jerusalem for the wor- 
ship of God. The prepara- 
tions for this temple were im- 
mense. David and his princes 
confuted 108,000 talents of 
gold J 1,017,000 talents of sil- 
ver, which together amounted 
to 46,000 tons weight of gold 
and silver, or the value of 
more than 4,000 millions of 
dollars ! About 184,600 men 
were employed seven years 
in building it. It was erected 
on Mount Moriah ; and was 
dedicated with solemn prayer 
by Solomon, during seven 
days of sacred feasting, and 
by a peace-offering of 20,000 
oxen and 120,000 sheep, to 
consume which, the holy fire 
came down anew from heaven. 

It remained in its glory only 
about 34 years, when Shishak 
carried oft all its treasures. 1 
Kings xiv. 25, 26. Jehoiada 
and Joash repaired it about 
A. M. 3150. Soon after Joash 
gave its treasures to Hazael, 



king of Syria. 2 Kings xii. 4, 
5. Ahaz stripped it so com 
pletely, to hire the assistance 
of Assyria, that it was for a 
long time, entirely shut up. 2 
Cnr. xxviii. Hezekiah repair- 
ed it, and made such vessels 
for it as it wanted 5 but in the 
14th year of his reign, was 
obliged to take from it much 
of its wealth, to give to Sen- 
nacherib. 2 Kings xviii. Ma- 
nasseh idolatrously reared al- 
tars to the host of heaven in 
the sacred courts, but after- 
wards restored the true wor- 
ship of God. Josiah, his grand- 
son, further purged the temple, 
and replaced the ark of God 
in it. 2 Kings xxi. xxii. About 
A. M. 3398, Nebuchadnezzar 
carried the sacred vessels to 
Babylon, and at last, about 
a.m. 3416, entirely demolished 
it. Jer. Hi. 12—23. 

About a. m. 3469, Cyrus 
ordered it to be rebuilt, which 
was done under the direction 
of Zerubbabel. It wanted, 
however, as the Jews say, five 
things which were the chief 
glory of the former j viz. the 
Ark, and its furniture, the 
Shechinah, or the cloud of the 
divine presence, the Holy fire, 
the Urim and Thummim, and 
the Spirit of prophecy. Ez. 
i. iii. vi. About a. m. 3837, 
Antiochus Epiphanes profan- 
ed it, and stopped the daily 
sacrifice ; but, about three 
years after, Judas Maccabeus 
purified and repaired it, and 
restored divine worship. 

This second temple havic- 



263 




m 



II, riifei liff ' 1 



'if f 

If I 



1 
h I If 



m 



f'-lil 

I tii t i> 
» » n 



m n : lifi 



IS: . m 



i mm h 

f II 

1 I f 




/ i 






V > 



TEM 



265 



TEM 



stood more than 500 years, 
and being- greatly out of re- 
pair, Herod the Great, about 
A m. 3987, began to build it 
anew. In 9 years he finished 
the principal parts of it j but 
46 years after, when our Sa- 
viour had begun his public 
ministry, it was not quite fin- 
ished j indeed, till the begin- 
ning- of their ruinous wars, 
they still added to its build- 
ings. It was thus made far 
more complete and beautiful 
than that of Zerubbabel, and 
was one of the most astonish- 
ing structures in the world, 
for magnitude and magnifi- 
cence. Though almost a new 
edifice, it retained the name 
of Second Temple. It was 
more glorious than the origi- 
nal temple, Hag. ii. 9, because 
honored with the presence 
and ministry of Christ. It 
was burnt and entirely de- 
stroyed by the Roman army 
under Titus. A Mahometan 
mosque now stands on the 
very spot. Into this no Jew or 
Christian dare venture on pain 
of death, or of redeeming his 
life by becoming a disciple of 
Islamism. 

The Court of the Gen- 
tiles, the exterior court of 
the temple, into which Gen- 
tiles were admitted, was the 
largest, by far, of all the courts 
of the temple. From this place 
our Saviour drove out the sell- 
ers of cattle, which had been 
improperly brought here. 

The Court of the Wo- 
men was not exclusively for 
23 



the resort of women j but was 
so called because they could 
go no farther, except, that 
when they brought a sacrifice^ 
they proceeded to 

The Court of Israel, a 
space more interior, where 
priests were always admitted, 
and common men on very 
particular occasions. 

The size and splendor of 
Solomon's temple gave rise to 
great magnificence in those 
which were afterward erected 
to heathen gods. The vast 
size of the temple of Dagon 
may be judged from the cir- 
cumstance of 3,000 persons 
being on the flat roof. Some 
conception of the extent and 
grandeur of Diana's temple 
may be obtained from what 
we have said under Ephesus. 
As a specimen of modern 
heathen temples, an engrav- 
ing, on page 263, represents 
that of Juggernaut at Orissa in 
Bengal, the size of which may 
be judged of by the men and 
women in and near the doors. 

Pagodas are different from 
temples, inasmuch as they 
are not generally hollow, and 
used in the interior for pur- 
poses of worship, but solid 
masses of brick and mortar, 
intended chiefly as monu- 
ments to the honor of the dei- 
ty ; the worship being per- 
formed outside. The cut on 
page 264 exhibits a pagoda 
near Rangoon in Burmah 5 of 
which also the size may be in- 
ferred from the size of the men 
delineated at the base. 



TEN 



'266 



TES 



TEMPTATION, (1.) The 
act of enticing to a crime. 
(2.) The state of being tried. 
(3.) Any thing offered to the 
mind, as a motive to ill. It 
signifies those means which 
are made use of by the devil 
to ensnare mankind, and draw 
them from their duty. Matt, 
vi. 13 5 xxvi. 41. Luke xi. 4. 
God is said to tempt or try men 
by those afflictions which exer- 
cise, prove and confirm the 
graces of his people. Gen. 
xxii. 1. They should there- 
fore be borne by Christians 
without murmuring, that they 
may be patterns of obedience. 
James i. 2, 12. Men tempt 
God, when they unseasonably 
and irreverently require proofs 
of his presence, power, and 
goodness, Ex. xvii. 2, 7 5 
when they expose themselves 
to danger, from which they 
cannot escape without his 
miraculous interposition,Matt. 
iv. 7 j and when they sin with 
great boldness, as if to try 
whether God would punish 
them. Mai. iii. 15. Acts v. 9. 

We may conclude an evil 
thought to be a temptation 
of Satan, and not the fruit of 
our own minds, first, when 
it is contrary to our general 
character ; secondly, when it is 
opposite to our present frame 
of mind, and seems to come 
suddenly ; thirdly, when it is 
unnatural, or contrary to rea- 
son 5 fourthly, when it is de- 
tested and opposed from the 
moment of the suggestion. 

TENT, a portable, cur- 



tained abode, invented by 
Jubal, before the flood. Man 
kind, for many centuries, 
lived in tents ; as those do to 
this day, whose pastoral or 
migratory habits cause fre- 
quent removals. The word 
tent is synonymous with tab' 
ernacle. 

TENTH-DEAL, the tenth 
part of an ephah 5 that is, an 
omer, or nearly five pints. 

TERAH, the son of Na- 
hor, was born a. m. 1878 ; 
and at the 130th year of his 
life, had Abram born to him 
He and his family were idol- 
aters 5 but it would seem that 
the call of Abraham was 
blessed to his conversion. It 
is certain, that Terah emi 
grated with Abraham to 
Haran, and died there. Gen 
xi. 24—32. Josh. xxiv. 2, 14. 
TERAPHIM, images or 
household gods. Some think 
they were talismans, to pre- 
serve from evil. Eastern na- 
tions have for many ages been 
addicted to such charms. 
The Persians call them tele- 
phin, a name not dissimilar to 
teraphim. They were some- 
times consulted for oracles. 
Zech. x. 2. 

TESTAMENT, the will of 
a testator. Gal. iii. 15. Heb. 
ix» 16, 17. The Greek word 
so translated in the New Tes- 
tament, is that by which the 
LXX. have uniformly trans- 
lated the Hebrew word for 
covenant. The Old Scrip- 
tures are called the Old Tes- 
tament, or Covenant, or Dis- 



TH A 



267 



THE 



pensation. 2 Cor. iii. 14. 
The dispensation of the cov- 
enant of grace, as contained 
in the writings of the evange- 
lists and apostles, is called the 
New Testament. It is last in 
order, and shall never be 
abolished. Though it agree 
with the Old Testament, it is 
far more clear, spiritual, effi- 
cacious, and easy. Heb. ix. 
15. Acts xv. 10. 

TESTIMONY, proof, wit- 
ness, or declaration. The 
law is God's testimony, Ps. 
cxix. &c; which Israel bound 
themselves to obey. See 
Witness. 

TE'TRARCH, a Roman 
magistrate, who governed the 
fourth part of a kingdom. 

THAM'MUZ, or Am'muz, 
an idol thought to be the 
same as that worshipped by 
the Greeks under the name 
of Osiris, and by the Ara- 
bians under the name of 
Adonis. Prostitution, and 
other abominable practices, 
formed parts of his worship. 

THANKSGIVING, grate- 
ful acknowledgment of bene- 
fits. It implies, (1.) A real 
sense of value in the things 
received \ (2.) A reception 
of them with complacency 5 
(3.) A cheerful avowal of the 
obligation conferred j (4.) 
Grateful love to the Bestow- 
er; and (5.) Hearty desires 
to compensate or honor him 
who blesses us. Phil. iv. 6. 
1 Tim. ii. 1. Christians 
greatly err in not making it 
a more important part of their 



daily devotions. Phil. iv. 6 
1 Tim. ii. 3. 

THEBEZ, a city of 
Ephraim, half a mile from 
Shechem. Jud. ix. 50. 

THESSALONIANS, the 
title of two Epistles written to 
the church at Thessalonica. 

The Iirst Epistle is 
generally admitted to have 
been the earliest written of all 
Paul's letters. He enjoined 
it to be read to all the adja- 
cent churches. Chap. v. 27. 
His object seems to have 
been, to confirm them in the 
faith, and to excite their piety 
The Second Epistle, 
written soon after the first, 
commends their faith and 
charity, rectifies their mistake 
in supposing that the day of 
judgment was athand, admon- 
ishes them of certain irregu- 
larities in their church, &c. 

Beside the marks of gen- 
uineness and authority which 
this Epistle has in common 
with the rest, Horne re- 
marks, n it has one peculiar 
to itself, in the exact repre- 
sentation it contains of the 
papal power, under the char- 
acters of the ' Man of Sin/ 
and the ' Mystery of Iniquity.' 
For considering how directly 
opposite the principles here 
described, ch. ii., were to the 
genius of Christianity, it must 
have appeared at that time 
highly improbable, that they 
should ever have prevailed 
in the Christian church j and 
consequently a prediction like 
this, which answers so ex 



THI 



268 



THR 



actly in every particular to 
the event, must prove that its 
author wrote under divine 
influence. " 

THESSALONFCA, the 
capital of Macedonia. It was 
anciently called Halis, and 
Thermos. ; but Philip, the 
father of Alexander the Great, 
called it Thessalonica, to 
commemorate his victory 
over the Thessalians. About 
A. d. 52, Paul, Silas and 
Timothy planted a church 
here. It was at this time a 
city of great commerce and 
wealth, and abounded with 
Jews. The Saracens took it 
about A. d. 800 j and after 
various other revolutions, it 
fell under the power of Tur- 
key. It is at this time one of 
the chief ports of modern 
Greece, containing before the 
late revolution 60,000 inhab- 
itant's, of which 12,000 were 
Jews. Its present name is 
Saloniky. 

THEU'DAS, a false Mes- 
siah,whose followers, amount- 
ing to 400 persons, were dis- 
persed. Acts v. 36. Jo- 
sephus mentions one of the 
same name, who rose 40 years 
later, and was followed by 
several thousands, many of 
whom were slain. 

THIRST, a sensation, the 
intensity of which, to travel- 
lers in Eastern countries, we 
can scarcely conceive. We 
should think of this when we 
read such passages as Ps. 
xliii. 2. Matt. v. 6. 

THISTLE, a general 



name for thorny, noxious 
plants. They form part of 
the curse pronounced mEden, 
and should constantly remind 
us of our fall in Adam. 

THOMAS, or Didymus, 
one of the apostles. Matt. x. 
3. He staid several years at 
Jerusalem, after the Pente- 
cost 5 and then went, it is 
said, to preach among the 
Parthians, Medes, Hyrcani- 
ans, and Bactrians. He suf- 
fered martyrdom in Melia- 
poor, in the East Indies, 
where, three hundred years 
ago, the Portuguese discov- 
ered Christians, who called 
themselves by his name. 

THORNS, prickly shrubs 
of various kinds, larger than 
thistles. Hasselquist found a 
thorny vine, common round 
Jerusalem, which was proba- 
bly the plant used in crown- 
ing our Saviour. It is supple, 
having a beautiful deep-green 
leaf, resembling the ivy,which 
was commonly used for gar- 
lands. The pictures which 
represent this crown as of 
mere thorns are erroneous. 

THREE TAVERNS, a 
place about 10 miles from 
Appii Forum, on the road to 
Rome. Here the most of the 
friends of Paul waited for 
him, while a few went on to 
meet him. Acts xxviii. 15. 

THRESHING-FLOOR 
A very good idea of this im- 
portant part of a Jewish farm 
may be got from the picture. 
It was prepared in the open 
field, as it is at this day in our 



THR 



2G9 



THR 



Southern States, by trampling 
and rolling a sufficient spot 
of ground, generally on some 
gentle eminence for the sake 
of the wind. The lees of oil 
were mixed up with the clay, 
which rendered it impervious 
to water. Here the smaller 



kinds were beaten out with a 
long staff, or flail ; the larger 
kinds with oxen or horses. 
These drew a set of rollers, 
over which was constructed 
a seat for the driver of the 
team. Isa. xxviii. 27. The 
figure marked A, shows the 




Vifit/ WviiU' 



"TTT 1 i U 



bottom and rollers. The other, 
marked B, exhibits a side view. 
The passage Isa. xli. 15,which, 
to the common reader, is non- 
sense, becomes finely illustra- 
tive, when we remember that 
straw was purposely cut for 
manure, and that in this case 
the rollers had sharp teeth. 
' These large implements form- 
1 ed sufficient wood for a burnt- 
i offering, which our flails would 
not do. See 1 Thr. xvi. 23. 
23* 



To separate the chaff and 
grain, the fan was used. (See 
Fan. ) The grain was cleared 
of heavier substances, such as 
lumps of dirt, by means of 
the sieve. To depict the dire 
ruin of the wicked, it is said, 
" they shall be as chaff driven 
with the whirlwind out of the 
floor/ 7 O why will not sin- 
ners consider their dreadful 
and inevitable doom except 
they repent and turn to God ! 



THY 



270 



TIB 



Hos. xiii. 3. Job xxi. 18. 
The church is likened to a 
threshing-floor 3 for here Christ 
gathers his glorious harvest, 
and here he will thoroughly 
cleanse it. Matt. iii. 12. 

THRONE, the seat of a 
monarch. Being always 
higher than a chair, it needed 
a footstool, where, in token 
of reverence, applicants bow- 
ed themselves. Ps. xcix. 5. 
Solomon's throne was raised 
six steps, and was of solid 
gold and ivory. The word is 
used to denote kingly author- 
ity, Gen. xli. 40 5 and hence 
angels are called thrones, 
in Col. i. 16. 

THYATI'RA is situated 
between Sardis and Perga- 
mos, near a branch of the 
Caicus, in the centre of an 
extensive plain. At the dis- 
tance of four or five miles, a 
belt of mountains surrounds 
it. It was once famous for 
its purple dye. Acts xvi. 14. 
There are now about 1,000 
houses in the place, but poor. 
The streets are very narrow 
and dirty. Its modern name 
is Ak Hisar. 

THY'INE, the same as 
the thija tree. It resembles 
the cedar, is aromatic and 
evergreen. It rises with a 
strong trunk to the height of 
30 feet or more, the branches 
projecting horizontally, and 
at right angles with each 
other. The wood is hard, and 
admits a fine polish, on which 
account the heathen make 
gods of it. From this tree is 



obtained the gum sandrae 
Rev. xviii. 12. 

TIBERIAS, Sea of. See 
Gennesareth. 

TIBERIAS, a city of Gal- 
ilee, built by Agrippa, and 
so named in honor of the em- 
peror Tiberius. Hegesip- 
pus says it was the same as 
Cinnereth. In the time of 
the Jewish wars, this city, then 
the capital of Galilee, was 
bravely defended by Josephus 
the historian ; but being taken 
by Vespasian, it was almost 
demolished. It was, how- 
ever, a place of considerable 
note, for many ages after. 
After the destruction of Jeru- 
salem it flourished greatly, 
having thirteen synagogues 
and a famous academy, over 
which a succession of Jewish 
doctors presided, till the fourth 
century. Here was held the 
last session of the Sanhedrim, 
and here the Talmud was col- 
lected. It is still a decent town, 
and around it are extensive 
ruins indicative of its former 
extent and grandeur. Thirty or 
forty families of Greek Cath- 
olics reside here. The present 
name of this town is Tabaria. 

TIBERIUS. Cesar Au- 
gustus., having married Livia, 
Tiberius's mother, adopted 
him as his heir. In the be- 
ginning of his reign, Tiberius 
behaved with moderation ; 
but afterwards became peev- 
ish, cruel and oppressive. 
About the 13th year of his 
reign he made Pilate governor 
of Judea. In the 15th year, 



TIM 



271 



TIM 



John Baptist began to preach. 
Luke iii. I. Soon after, he 
took from the Jews the power 
of putting criminals to death. 
It is said, that, hearing of the 
miracles of our Saviour, he 
was earnest to have him en- 
rolled among the Roman dei- 
ties, but was hindered by the 
senate. He so favored the 
Christians as to threaten 
death to such as molested 
them on account of their re- 
ligion. See Cesar. 

TIGLATH-PILE'ZER, a 
king of Assyria, who was 
called upon by Ahaz, king 
of Judah, for help against 
Pekah, king of Israel, and 
Rezin, king of Damascus. 
1 Kings xi. He died b. c. 
729, and was succeeded by 
Shalmanezer. 

TILE, an earthen plate, 
used to cover roofs. What 
is rendered tiling, in the nar- 
rative of the sick man, Luke 
v. 19, is by some considered 
to mean the poles, stretched 
across the opening of the in- 
ner court, to sustain the awn- 
ing 5 and by others the balus- 
trade, round the opening. 
What the men removed in 
order to bring the paralytic 
to Christ, must certainly have 
been something that did not 
damage the building. 

TIMBREL, an instrument 
of music, very like our tam- 
bourine, consisting of a brass 
hoop, over which was stretch- 
ed a parchment. It was held 
in the left hand, and struck 
with the right 5 and was play- 



ed on while dancing, on oc- 
casions of great joy. Ex. 
xv. 20. It is sometimes 
called tabret. 

TIME, the measure of du 
ration 3 the season to do a 
thing. To redeem time, is to 
be doubly diligent in duty on 
account of former negligence. 
Time is redeemed by avoid- 
ing excessive sleep, useless 
recreations, indolent habits, 
formal visits, trifling reading, 
vain conversation, and offi- 
cious employments. The last 
times, mean gospel times, 
which are under the last dis- 
pensations of grace, and near 
the end of the world. The 
fulness of time, means the 
time when every thing is pre- 
pared for an event. Gal. iv. 4. 
See Watch. 

TIM'NATH, a city called 
also Timnah, and Tim- 
nathath, which stood about 
six miles from Adullam, in the 
tribe of Dan. It remained a 
considerable village 400 years 
after Christ. 

TIMOTHY, or Timothe- 
us, was a native of Lystra. 
His father was a Greek, but 
his grandmother and mother, 
being pious Jewish women, 
trained him up in the knowl- 
edge of the Scriptures, Acts 
xvi. 1. His bodily constitu- 
tion was weak, but his gifts 
and graces were eminent. 

The Two Epistles to 
Timothy were written by 
Paul from Rome, not long 
before his death. In these 
he is instructed in the choice 



TIR 



272 



TIT 



of officers for the church, in 
the proper deportment of a 
Christian minister, in the 
method of church govern- 
ment and discipline, the im- 
portance of steadfastness in 
Christian doctrine, the perils 
and seductions that should 
come, &c. 

TIN, a white metal, of 
little elasticity, lighter than 
almost any other metal, and 
so ductile as to be capable 
of being beaten out into 
leaves as thin as paper. It 
is procured in Germany, 
Saxony, England, South 
America, and the East Indies. 
It seems to have been known 
and used very early, being 
mentioned Numb. xxxi. 22, 
and by Homer in the Iliad. 
Its ores frequently occur in 
granite. Tin ware, as it is 
called, is really sheet iron 
ware, washed with tin, to 
prevent rust. In Isa. i. 25, 
the word is improperly put 
for dross, or that which is 
separated by smelting. 

TIPH'SAH, an important 
city on the Euphrates, which 
constituted the extreme north- 
ern boundary of Solomon's 
Kingdom. It is called in his- 
tory Thapsacus. 

TIRE, an ornament for a 
head-dress, or possibly the 
head-dress itself. The Tar- 
gum and Talmud, as well as 
Rabbi Jarchi, interpret the 
word in Ezek. xxiv. 7, of the 
phylacteries, or frontlets, worn 
on the forehead. The " round 
tires like the moon," men- 



tioned Isa. iii. 18, were neck' 
laces, such as were found 
upon the necks of the Midian- 
ite kings, and even on their 
camels. Jud. viii. 21, 26. In 
the latter text the same He- 
brew word is called chains f 
which is here called tires. 

TIR'HAKAH, a king of 
Cush 5 called in profane his- 
tory, Thearchon. 2 Kings 

TIR'SHATHA, a title of 
honor bestowed on Nehemiah, 
thought to be equivalent to 
commissioner. Ez. ii. 63. 
Neh. x. 1. 

TIRZAH, (literally pleas- 
ant,) a very beautiful city 
belonging to the tribe of 
Ephraim. 1 Kings xiv. 17. 

TITHES mean tenths. 
The early practice of giving 
a tenth of income to religious 
purposes, seems to have been 
by divine institution. Abram 
gave to Melchisedec, the 
Lord's priest, the tenth of his 
spoils taken in battle. Gen. 
xiv. 20. Jacob dedicated to 
God the tenth of his gain. 
Gen. xxviii. 22. Many of the 
Greeks, Romans, and other 
heathen, devoted the tenth 
part of their incomes to the 
service of their gods. 

By the Jewish law, the 
tenth of the product of corn, 
cattle, &c, was assigned to 
the Levites. Of what re- 
mained to the proprietor, 
another tithe was levied, and, 
in value or kind, sent to the 
service of the tabernacle and 
temple, and the ministers 



TIT 



273 



TON 



thereof, at the solemn feasts. 
On every third year a third 
tithe was levied, for the use 
of the Levites, and the fa- 
therless, widows, and stran- 
gers. The Levites paid to 
the priests the tithe of what 
they received from the peo- 
ple. Deut. xiv. 28. It does 
not appear that the tithe of 
small herbs was demanded. 
The Pharisees, however, 
tilhed their mint, anise, cum- 
min, and rue 5 nor does Jesus 
condemn them for it, but for 
neglecting weightier things, 
as mercy, judgment, and 
faith, while they were so ex- 
act in small matters. Deut. 
xiv. 22— 2D. Num. xviii. 20. 

TITTLE, a minute point 
attached to some of the char- 
acters in the Hebrew alpha- 
bet. A small circumstance. 
See Jot. 

TITUS, an eminent Chris- 
tian pastor. He seems to 
have been a Greek, and one 
of Paul's early converts. Of 
the time, place, or manner 
jf his death, we have no cer- 
tain account. Tradition says 
he lived to the age of 94 
years, and was buried in 
Crete, where he had been left 
by Paul. Tit. i. 5. 

The Epistle to Titus 
is eminently valuable for its 
elucidations of the nature and 
duties of the Christian minis- 
try—the manner of accom- 
modating our exhortation to 
the characters of the persons 
we address— the necessity of 
a minister's setting an ex- 



ample of what he teaches-* 
the doctrine of obedience to 
civil rulers — the necessity of 
good works, and the proper 
treatment of foolish questions 
and heretics. 

TOB. See Syria. 

TOMB, a grave ; a vauJt 
in which dead bodies are 
placed 5 a house or monu- 
ment raised over a grave. 
The ancients always buried 
their dead outside of cities. 
When cupolas or vaulted 
chambers were raised over 
graves, they were generally 
10 or 12 feet square, and so 
might well afford lodging for 
demoniacs. (See Mark v. 5.) 
Forbes, in his "Oriental 
Memoirs/' informs us that 
these recesses often afford 
shelter to the weary traveller 
overtaken by night, and like- 
wise to robbers, who sally 
forth from them to commit 
their nocturnal depredations. 
The graves of the poor were 
often distinguished by some 
slight stone or board, which, 
when it fell, was not set 
up again, by which means 
graves did not appear. Hence 
they could be walked over 
unperceived. Luke xi. 44. 
See Sepulchre. 

TONGUE, (1.) That 
member by which we articu- 
late sounds. James iii. 5. 
(2.) The language spoken 
in any country. Deut. xxviii. 
49. There appears to have 
been but one language, till 
the confusion of tongues at 
Babel. The Hebrew tongue 



TOP 



274 



TOR 



contains more internal evi- 
dence of being the same that 
God communicated to Adam, 
than any other 5 but is sup- 
posed to have undergone 
alterations, in the series of so 
many ages, from Adam down 
to Moses. The simplicity 
of its construction 3 the con- 
ciseness and energy of its 
expression; its peculiar fer- 
tility ; the relation it has to 
the most ancient Oriental lan- 
guages, which seem to derive 
their origin from it ; the ety- 
mology of the names whereby 
the first of mankind were 
called, which naturally occurs 
in this language 5 the names 
of animals, which are often 
significant of their nature and 
habits 5 the most ancient 
book, viz. the Old Testament, 
being, for the most part, in 
this language, &c, — indicate 
that it was the original lan- 
guage of the human species. 

TOPAZ, a name now ap- 
plied to a yellow gem, ob- 
tained in various parts of 
the earth, generally about 
the size of a pin's head. 
Scarcely any exceed the 
sixth part of an inch in diam- 
eter. The most valuable 
topaz in the world, is that in 
possession of the Great Mo- 
gul ; said to weigh 137 car- 
ats, and to be worth nearly a 
million of dollars. 

TOPHET, a drum or tim- 
brel. The name of a place 
in the valley of Hinnom, 
cailed Gehenna, where the 
idolatrous Jews burned their 



children to Moloch. It was 
called Tophet from the 
beating of drums, (toph being 
the HebreA'name of a drum,) 
which were used to drown 
the cries of the infants sac- 
rificed to the image. 2 Kings 
xxiii. It*. In order to dis- 
qualify this valley from being 
a place of worship, and thus 
the more thoroughly to have 
Moloch discarded, Josiah 
caused it to be a place for 
carcasses which were refused 
burial, and filth of every kind. 
2 Kings xxiii. 10. Jer. xix. 
From that time, it was uni- 
versally abhorred and aban- 
doned to loathsomeness. In 
order to prevent the pestilent 
influence of such a place, per- 
petual fires were kept burning 
there. Hence it grew to be 
an image of hell ; and ulti 
mately the name Gehenna 
was definitively applied to the 
place of future and eternal 
punishment. See Hinnom. 

TORMENTORS, agents 
of Jewish courts of justice, 
whose duty it was to admin- 
ister sentences. Matt, xviii. 
34. It seems that in the time 
of Christ this office was con- 
nected with that of jailer. 

TORTOISE. There are 
two kinds of tortoises, viz. 
sea and land ones. It is the 
land tortoise that is mentioned 
in Scripture. It feeds on 
flowers and insects, lives 
longer than men, and has a 
wonderful power of enduring 
the want of food. Its general 
size is from four to eight 



TRA 



275 



TRA 



inches long 1 ; but in the Isle 
of Madagascar, the Gallipa- 
gos, &c, it attains five or six 
times that size, covered with 
a variegated shell of great 
value in commerce, and much 
used for ladies' combs, &c. 
The word occurs only Lev. 
xi. 29. Some learned men 
are of opinion that the origi- 
nal term means a lizard. 

TOWER, (1.) A high 
stage erected in cultivated 
fields, on which a watchman 
was stationed toward harvest 
to guard against thieves. Jer. 
vi. 27. (2.) A fortified build- 
ing to afford protection against 
enemies, or to annoy them. 
2 Kings xvii. 9. 

TO WIT, an old expres- 
sion, meaning " that is to 
say." 2 Cor. v. 19. " We do 
you to wit," means. We give 
you to understand. 2 Cor. 
viii. 1. 

TRACHONI'TIS, a dis- 
trict bordering the holy land 
to the north-east. It is a 
craggy, mountainous region, 
infested, during the govern- 
ment of Philip, with many 
robbers. Luke iii. 1. 

TRADITION, a narrative 
or ceremony delivered from 
father to son by word of 
mouth, without any written 
memorial. Those traditions, 
for the observance of which 
the Scribes and Pharisees so 
much contended, were con- 
demned by our Saviour, as 
subversive of the true intent 
of Scripture. Matt. xv. 2, 3. 
The fifth commandment was 



so strangely perverted bj 
these self-righteous teachers, 
that, according to them, a 
man might give the surplus 
of his estate as a religious 
gift to God, and deny any 
support to his parents, when 
destitute of the necessaries 
of life. Matt. xv. 6. (See 
Corban.) These traditions 
became in time amazingly 
numerous, and had regard to 
the most trifling actions of 
life. About a. d. 190, they 
were collected and written by 
the industrious Rabbi Judah* 
He called his work the Mish- 
NA, or second law. About 
one hundred years after; 
Rabbi Jochanan wrote a 
commentary on the Mishna, 
which he called Gemara, or 
Perfection. The whole was 
called the Talmud, or In- 
struction. About a. d. 500, 
the Babylonian rabbins com- 
posed another Talmud, writ- 
ten in a clearer style, and not 
quite so full of absurdities. 
It makes 10 or 12 large folio 
volumes ; but there is an 
abridgment by Maimonides, 
a distinguished Spanish Jew, 
of the 12th century, who 
omitted most of the grosser 
absurdities. 

The Roman Catholics are 
fond of traditions, and hold 
to many. The word of God, 
however, is our only guide in 
faith and practice 3 and what- 
ever has no warrant there, 
ought not to be considered 
binding. Before the New 
Testament was completed, 



TRE 



276 



TRI 



and while the apostles re- 
mained to examine traditions, 
it was proper for Christians 
to regard such as were by 
them sanctioned. 2 Thess. 
ii. 15. It would now be haz- 
ardous to trust in them at all 5 
and might be considered as 
adding to the word of God. 
Rev. xxii. 18. 

TRANCE, that state of a 
person's mind, in which su- 
pernatural things are revealed 
to him. Paul was cast into 
a trance. Acts xxii. 17. And 
so was Peter. Acts x. 10 5 
xi. 5, &c. 

TRANSFIGURE is to 
change the outward form. 
The word is chiefly used in 
reference to the supernatural 
change in the appearance of 
our Saviour on the mount. 
The word occurs only in 
Matt. xvii. 2, and Mark ix. 2. 

TRANSLATE now means 
to render one language into 
another 5 but its signification 
in Scripture is, to transfer 
from one person or place to 
another. The word and its 
derivatives are used five 
times in the Bible, viz. 2 
Sam. iii. 10 5 Col. i. 13 5 
Heb. xi. 5 3 in the latter 
verse thrice. 

TREASURY, a place 
where public money is kept 
or managed. It was the 
name given to that part of the 
Jewish temple where stood 
the chests for collecting the 
voluntary contributions of 
the people 3 over which were 
the chambers for depositing 



the sacred stores. Josh. vi. 19. 
Jer. xxxviii. 11. Matt, xxvii.6. 
Luke xxi. 1. John viii. 20. 
The money collected in these 
chests was appropriated to 
the purchase of fuel for the 
altar, salt, &c. 

TREES are useful, some 
for fuel, some for timber, 
some for medicine, some for 
dyeing, some for fruit, &c. 
The Scripture mentions the 
palm, shittah, bay, cedar, 
chestnut, almond, willow, cy 
press, pine, ebony, almug 01 
algum, oak, teil, apple*, ash, 
elm, juniper, box, fir, oil, 
olive, citron, balsam, pome- 
granate, fig, sycamore, syca- 
mine, poplar, thyine, and 
mulberry. Trees in Palestine 
generally put forth their foli- 
age in the month of January, 
when the old leaves of many 
trees are not fallen off. The 
first blossoms are those of the 
almond tree. Jesus Christ is 
called the " free of life," be- 
cause by partaking of his 
fulness we attain life ever- 
lasting. Rev. xxii. 2. Chris- 
tians are called " trees of 
righteousness," because like 
Christ, and yielding benefits 
to men. Ps. i. 3. 

TRIBE, a division of peo- 
ple. The tribes of Israel 
were the descendants of 
Jacob's sons. Jacob blessed 
both Manasseh and Ephraim, 
Joseph's sons, which made 
13 tribes, and yet no tribe of 
Joseph. The land of prom- 
ise, however, was divided 
only into 12 portions, because 



TRO 



277 



TRU 



the tribe of Levi was to be 
supported by tithes. There 
toeing twelve tribes who each 
paid the Levites a tenth of 
every thing, their condition 
was more easy than the other 
tribes. The Jews assert, 
though without very satisfac- 
tory proof, that each tribe 
had its appropriate banner, 
as follows : — 

Judah, a Lion couching, Gen. xlix. 9. 
Issachar, an Ass, " " 14. 

Zebulon, a Ship, " " 13. 

Reuben, a Man, " " 3. 

Simeon, a Sword, '* "5. 

Gad, a Lion, Deut. xxxiii. 22. 

Ephraim, a Unicom, " u 17. 

Manasaeh, a Bull, " M 17. 

Benjamin, a Wolf, Gen. xlix. 27. 

Dan, a Serpent, " " 17. 

Asher, a Sheaf of wheat," " 20. 
Naphtali, a Hind, " " 21. 

TRIBUTE, money paid 
by a tax. Our Saviour, Matt, 
xxii. 17, shows clearly, that 
religion does not exempt men 
from civil duties ; and the 
apostle Paul recommends to 
faithful Christians to pay ac- 
cording to law. Rom. xiii. 7. 
See Publicans. 

TROAS, a city of Mysia, 
near the mouth of the Helles- 
pont, four miles from the 
famous Troy, and built 
chiefly with materials from 
its ruins. The celebrated 
siege and capture of Troy 
occurred, according to Sir 
Isaac Newton, about 904 
years b. c, or during the 
reign of Jehoshaphat. Paul 
often preached at Troas, 
lodging with one Carpus. 
24 



Acts xvi. 8; xx. 5—12. 2 
Tim. iv. 13. A Christian 
church long existed here'j 
but it is now extinct, and the 
place lies in ruins. 

TROGYL'LIUM, a cape, 
which formed a bay about 5 
miles from Samos, where the 
vessel in which Paul sailed to 
Macedonia, made an anchor- 
age for a night. Acts xx. 15. 

TROW, to think, or sup- 
pose 5 to believe j to trust. 
Luke xvii. 9. 

TRUMPET, an instru- 
ment of loud music, still in 
common use. It was origi- 
nally made of the horn of a 
ram or ox, and subsequently 
of metal. The bugle is a 
modern improvement of this 
instrument. On that new 
moon festival which com- 
menced the Jewish civil year, 
that 3s, the first day of Tizri, 
was held the Feast of Trum- 
pets. Lev. xxiii. Num. xxix. 
See Feast. 

TRUST, confidence in any 
person or thing. To trust in 
man is both sinful and vain. 
Jer. xvii. 5. Trust in God 
should be sincere, Pro v. iii. 
5, 65 unreserved, 1 Pet. v. 7; 
steadfast, Isa. xxvi. 4 3 and 
cheerful, Mic. vii. 7. Such as 
trust God are safe, Ps. cxxv. 
1 5 courageous, Ps. xxvii. 1 — 3 j 
and serene, Ps. xxvi. 3. 

TRUTH, the positive mat- 
ter of fact, contrary to false- 
hood. Moral truth is the 
conformity of words and ac- 
tions to the thoughts of the 
heart 5 as when a man speaks 



TWI 



278 



TYP 



what he thinks, and is in real- 
ity what he seems to be. It 
is taken for the true principles 
of religion, the true doctrine 
of the gospel 5 and Jesus 
Christ, being the Author, is 
emphatically styled u the 
Truth/' because he is the 
substance of all the types. 
John xiv. 6. 

TURTLE-DOVE, a well- 
known bird, often mentioned 
in Scripture. 




In Ps. lxxiv. 19, it seems 
that by 1 being written for 1, 
an error very easily made, 
turtle-dove has occurred, iii- 
stead of "confessing thee." 
The text accordingly stands 
in the Septuagint and Syriac 
versions, " O deliver not the 
soul of him that confesseth 
thee unto the multitude of the 
wicked." 

TWILIGHT, the light 
which continues after the sun 
has set, and commences be- 
fore it rises. 1 Sam. xxx. 17. 
Prov. vii. 9. This is caused 
by the atmosphere, which, 
being thicker than the space 



between it and the sun, bends 
down or refracts the rays of 
light, and even makes the 
sun itself appear when it is 
beneath the horizon. In the 
northern parts of Scotland, 
the sun sets but for a short 
time in the summer, and the 
twilight will enable a person 
to read even at midnight. 
Near the poles, twilight con- 
tinues for several weeks to- 
gether, without the sun's 
rising. It then rises and 
shines uninterruptedly the 
whole summer. Then the 
twilight of several weeks re- 
curs, and afterward the sun 
sets, to be seen no more till 
the next summer. 

TYPE, a person dr thing, 
prefiguring something relative 
to Christ or his church. These 
were numerous, as none of 
them could fully point out its 
antitype ; and were a kind of 
real predictions of things to 
come, as those uttered by the 
prophets were verbal. There 
were typical persons, as Ad- 
am, Noah, Melchisedek, 
Isaac, Aaron, Joshua, David / 
Solomon, Jonah 3 typical 
classes of persons, as Israel- 
ites, first-born males, kins- 
man-redeemers, Nazarites, 
high priests j typical things, 
as Noah's ark, Jacob's ladder, 
the burning bush, the cloudy 
pillar, the water of Marah, 
the manna, the pool of Be- 
thesda, the deliverance of the 
Hebrews from Egypt, their 
passage through the sea, 
their travels in the wilderness, 



TYP 



279 



TYR 



their entrance into Canaan, 
their wars with the heathens, 
&c. The typical institutions 
were circumcision, sanctifica- 
tion of fruit-trees, offering" no 
base thing's to God, exclusion 
from the congregation of the 
Lord,wearing proper apparel, 
avoiding" mixed garments, 
sowing mingled seed, plough- 
ing with oxen and asses, ten- 
derness to beasts, not muz- 
zling the treading ox, &,c. 
The typical places were Ca- 
naan, the cities of refuge, Je- 
rusalem, Zion, the tabernacle, 
and the temple. The typical 
utensils were the ark, the pot 
of manna, the table of shew- 
bread with its loaves, the 
golden altar of incense, the 
golden candlestick, the silver 
trumpets, the brazen laver 
and sea, the brazen altar, &c. 
The typical offerings were 
the burnt, the sin, the tres- 
pass, peace, and meat-offer- 
ings, the drink-offerings, the 
anointing oil, ransom-money, 
tithes, first-fruits, things vol- 
untarily devoted, the ram 
caught in the thicket, &c. 
The typical seasons were the 
time of the daily sacrifices, 
the Sabbath, the feast of new 
moons, the passover and feast 
of unleavened bread, Pen- 
tecost, the feast of trumpets, 
the feast of tabernacles, the 
year of release, and the jubi- 
lee, &c. The typical purifi- 
cations were from the defile- 
ment of r.nholy things, from 
childbirth, leprosy, infection 
by dead bodies, &,c. To him 



that discerns the evangelical 
signification of these various 
types, the narratives of the 
Old Testament are not a dry 
history, but appear replen- 
ished with the most useful in- 
structions concerning oui 
Saviour and his body the 
church. 

TYRE, a very ancient 
city, possessing, for many 
ages, astonishing enterprise 
and wealth. Isa. xxiii. 8. 
It was at first built four fur- 
longs from the shore, on an 
island. But the city which 
soon reared itself upon the 
opposite land, grew into 
greater size and considera- 
tion. After a siege of thir- 
teen years by Nebuchadnez- 
zar, b. c. 573, it was over- 
come and destroyed, but not 
till the inhabitants had es- 
caped with their effects to the 
insular city. The latter then 
flourished for 200 years, when 
Alexander stormed and took 
it, having with this intent 
built a causeway to it, out of 
the ruins of the old town. 
After many other changes, it 
at last fell under the Romans. 
It was the emporium of com- 
merce and the arts. Their 
ships found the way even to 
England,whence, among other 
things, they brought tin from 
the mines at Cornwall. Its 
kings swayed a powerful 
sceptre, and their colonies 
were scattered over all the 
Mediterranean. The chief 
deities of the place were 
Hercules and Astarte. It 



ULA 



280 



UNC 



Delonged to the tribe ofAsher, 
but was never wholly sub- 
dued. About a. D. 200, it 
was destroyed by Niger, 
emperor of Rome. After 
this it nourished 500 years, 
under the Seljukian Turks, 
was then taken by the cru- 
saders, and finally was de- 
stroyed, a. D. 1289, by the 
sultan of Egypt. A. D. 1516, 
it was seized by the Ottoman 
Turks, who are to this day 
masters of all that country. 
The predictions of Isaiah and 
Ezekiel, that this city for its 
wickedness should be utterly 
destroyed, have been most 
severely fulfilled. Isa. xxxiii. 
Ezek. xxvi. xxviii. Maun- 
drell, who visited this spot 
in 1697, found not a house 
entire, and only a few miser- 
able inhabitants, harboring 
themselves in vaults, and 
subsisting" chiefly by fishing-. 
A village adjacent then bore 
the name. There is now a 
considerable village built 
among the ruins 3 the popu- 
lation of which Mr. Jowett 
estimates at about 1,500. 
Mr. Connor reckons them at 
double that number. It is 
now called Shur or Zur. 
TYTHES. See Tithes. 



U. 



U'LAI, a branch of the 
Euphrates, on the banks of 
which Daniel had his famous 



vision. Dan. viii. It is 
called in Greek authors, 
Choas f pes. Its present name 
is Kir*rah. 

UNBELIEF, infidelity, or 
a distrust of any narrative, 
person or doctrine. Unbe- 
lief of God's holy word, is a 
universal sin in the world. 
It is the cause of disobedience 
to his commands 5 and that 
man will be eternally con- 
demned, over whom it shall 
finally prevail. Matt. xiii. 58. 
It is a dreadful crime, as it 
makes God a liar, rejects 
Jesus and his whole salvation, 
and is the root of all other 
sins. Unbelief is either neg- 
ative, in such as have not 
heard the gospel 3 as in the 
heathen, 1 Cor. vi. 6 3 2 Cor. 
vi. 14 3 or positive, as in those 
who, though they hear the 
gospel, and profess to regard 
it, yet believe not with their 
hearts. Luke xii. 46. Tit. 
i. 15. Unbelief is either with 
respect to a particular dec- 
laration of God 5 as when 
Zacharias discredited God's 
promise of a son to him, Luke 
i. 20 3 or universal, having 
respect to the whole declara- 
tions of God. It is either 
partial, importing some de- 
grees of distrust, Mark ix. 
24 3 or total, where there is 
no trust at all. 1 Tim. i. 13. 

UNCLEAN. Persons or 
things are unclean, (1.) Nat- 
urally 5 as dunghills, or hate- 
ful animals are unclean. Rev. 
xviii. 2. (2.) Ceremonially; 
as persons who touched dead 



UNI 



231 



URI 



bodies, &c. A great number 
of beasts were thus unclean. 
Numb. xix. Lev. xi. xvi. 
(3.) In scrupulous opinion j 
me meats were reck- 
oned unclean by the primitive 
Christians. Rom. xiv. 14. 
(1 ' Morally; being- polluted 
with sin j so devils are "un- 
clean spirits." Matt. x. 1. 
Unc leanness means lewdness. 
Rom. i. f/L 

UNCOVER, to remove a 
covering, as a veil from the 
head. For females so to do 
in public assemblies was con- 
sidered, in Eastern countries, 
highly immodest. 1 Cor. xi. 5. 

UNICORN, a fierce and 
powerful animal, often men- 
tioned in Scripture. It is 
generally thought to mean 
the rlrinoceros, which has a 
strong horn between its fore- 




head and nose, with which 
it rips up trees into splinters 
for food. Some have thought 
that the buffalo was the true 
unicorn. The pictures which 
represent the unicorn in the 
form of a horse, with a horn 
in its forehead, have gener- 
ally been thought fictitious ; 
but it has been lately affirmed 
34* 



that a similar animal is found 
in South Africa, and several 
good writers defend the as- 
sertion. The camelopard 
was long regarded by natu- 
ralists as a fictitious animal : 
it has, however, been discov- 
ered by modern travellers, 
and brought to Europe alive. 
Several are now kept in 
London and Paris. 

UPHARSIN, one of the 
Chaldee words written on 
the wall at Belshazzar's feast, 
which signifies dividing. 
Why none of the Chaldean 
astrologers and learned men 
could read these words, Dan. 
v. 7, is not now known. Per- 
haps being all written as one 
word, they could not rightly 
divide the letters, or, possibly, 
only the initial letters of the 
words might have been writ- 
ten. — Peres, which is 
used for this word in 
Daniel's interpretation, 
ch. v. 23, is the singu- 
lar of Pharsin ; the 
letter U, put before the 
latter word, answering 
to our word and. 

UR, an ancient city 
of Chaldea or 
potamia, where Terah 
and Abraham dwelt. 
xv. 7. 

URIM and Thummim, lit- 
erally, lights and perfections, 
mentioned Ex. xxviii. 30, and 
Lev. viii. 8. It seems prob- 
able, that they were the 
twelve precious stones of the 
high priest's breast-plate j on 
which were engraven the 



usu 



282 



VAI 



names of the tribes of Israel ; 
and that the letters, by stand- 
ing out, or by an extraordi- 
nary illumination, marked 
such words as contained the 
answer of God to him who 
consulted this oracle. Many 
learned men are of opinion 
that the answer was given in 
an audible voice from the 
Shekinah, or that brightness 
which always rested between 
the cherubims over the mercy 
seat. Ps. lxxx. 1, and xcix. 1. 
When the Urim and Thum- 
mim were to be consulted, the 
high priest put on his golden 
vestment, and went into the 
sanctuary, standing with his 
face toward the holy of ho- 
lies. The Urim and Thum- 
mim were never consulted in 
matters of faith, as in these 
the Jews had the written law 
for their rule ; nor in matters 
of small moment 3 but in case 
of doubtful duty in reference 
to providence and circum- 
stances. None but priests, 
rulers, or prophets, were al- 
lowed to use the Urim and 
Thummim. 1 Sam. xxii. 10. 
USURY, among the Jews, 
meant the customary price 
paid for the use of money. 
The word now means extor- 
tionate and unlawful interest. 
The law of nature forbids not 
the receiving of moderate 
interest for the loan of money, 
any more than the taking of 
rent for houses. As the Jews 
had very little concern in 
trade, and therefore only 
borrowed in cases of neces- 



sity, and as their system was 
calculated to eetablish every 
man's inheritance to his own 
family, they were prohibited 
to take usury from their breth- 
ren of Israel, at least if they 
were poor. Ex. xxii. 25. Lev. 
xxv. 35—37. They we"e al- 
lowed to lend money upon usu- 
ry to strangers. Deut.xxiii. 20. 
UZ, (1.) The grandson of 
Shem. Gen. x. 23. (2.) A 
Horite. Gen. xxxvi. 28. (3.)_ 
The country of Job, situated 
somewhere east or north-east 
of Palestine. It seems to have 
been near Chaldea. Job i. 17 



V. 



VAIL, or Veil, whatever 
hides any thing from being 
seen. The vail which divided 
the holy of holies from the 
holy place, in the Jewish tab- 
ernacle, was a type of the 
human nature of Christ, and 
also of the separation between 
the Jews and Gentiles 5 but 
was rent in twain at our 
Saviour's death, and the sep- 
aration is now removed by 
the preaching of the gospel to 
the Gentiles. Heb. x. 20. 
Eph. ii. 14. Matt, xxvii. 51. 
The vail of ignorance, blind- 
ness, and hardness of heart, 
which kept the Jews from un- 
derstanding th< .spiritual sense 
and meaning of the law. 



VAP 



283 



VER 



caused them to crucify the 
Saviour, resist the introduc- 
tion of the new covenant, and 
reject the gospel light, is still 
a hindcrance to the extension 
of the Redeemer's kingdom. 
John ix. 39. 2 Cor. iii. 14,25. 
Women disgraced themselves 
by appearing in public with- 
out a vail, 1 Cor. xi. 3 — 10 j 
especially, perhaps, as it was 
the chief and almost the only 
difference between the dress 
of women and men. (See 
Power.) There were vari- 
ous forms of the vail 5 some 
covered the whole person, 
others only the bust. They 
were by no means so trans- 
parent as those now com- 
monly worn ; but entirely 
concealed the face. That of 
Ruth was strong as well as 
large enough to hold six 
measures of barley. Ruth 
iii. 15. 

VALLEY OF HINNOM. 
See Tophet. 

VANITY, emptiness. The 
term is applied in Scripture 
to the world, as unsatisfac- 
tory, Eccl. i. 2 5 to idols, 
Deut. xxxii. 21 ; 2 Kings 
xvii. 15 j to mean deceitful- 
ness, Ps. iv. 2$ to whatever 
disappoints our hopes, Ps. 
Ix. 11 ; to iniquity, Ps. cxix. 37. 

VAPOR, water combined 
with so much heat as to cause 
it to rise in a gaseous form. 
Its expansive force being 
greater than even that of gun- 
powder, the moderns have 
discovered the art of making 
it eminently useful in propel- 



ling engines for boats, facto- 
ries, mines, &c. The steam 
engine is the noblest aid ever 
contrived by human ingenu- 
ity. By its means a single 
bushel of coal can do the 
work of ten horses for one 
hour. 

Vapor raised by the sun is 
held by the air, till it accumu- 
lates in clouds, and by elec- 
tricity, or by some unexplained 
cause, descends in rain. Ps. 
cxxxv.7. Vapor is a wonderful 
evidence of the wisdom and 
goodness of God. Jer. x. 13, 
and li. 16. By evaporation 
we obtain rain, mist, dew, See. 
By its constantly taking place 
in the human body, man is 
enabled to sustain the heat 
of every climate. By the ex- 
traction of vapors from the 
earth, the air is sweetly cooled 
and made refreshing. Without 
evaporation, grain and grass 
could not be cured for use, 
clothes could not be dried, if 
washed. In fine, a great va- 
riety of common operations on 
which our comfort depends, 
could not be performed. The 
occasional drying winds of Af- 
rica carry with them terror 
and ^leath. Well does David, 
therefore, represent the vapor 
as praising God, and u ful- 
filling his word. " Ps.cxlviii. 8. 
Human life is compared for 
frailly and transitoriness to a 
vapor. James iv. 14. 

VERILY, truly. When 
spoken twice at the begin- 
ning of a remark, it denotes a 
strong and solemn affirmation. 



VIN 



284 



VIN 



VESTMENT, a word 
which occurs in Scripture 
only in 2 Kings x. 22, and 
there means the sacred robes 
of pagan priests. The vestry 
was the place where they 
lay, and were put off and, on. 
A vesture is chiefly an upper 
robe. Deut. xxii. 12. Christ's 
having his " vesture dipped 
in blood," and inscribed with 
this name, " King of kings, 
and Lord of lords," imports, 
that in conquering and de- 
stroying his enemies, he 
mightily shows his sovereign 
power and dominion. Rev. 
xix. 13. 16. See Raiment. 

VETCHES. See Fitches. 

VIAL. See Censer. 

VINE, one of the most 
prominent productions of 
Canaan, and flourishing best 
in the lot of Judah, which 
contained the mountains of 
Engedi, and the valleys of 
Eshcol and Sorek. Gen. 
xlix. 11. At the present day, 
a single cluster from those 
vines will often weigh 12 
pounds 5 and as the whole 
country is now comparatively 
neglected and barren, it is 
probable they once were 
much Jarger. Hence the 
spies, to avoid bruising the 
fine specimens they brought 
to Moses, hung them to a pole, 
borne by two men. The 
grapes of Egypt being small 
and poor, we can easily im- 
agine the surprise of Joshua 
and the other messengers 
when they found such grapes 
at Eshcol. Profane authors 



speak of the excellent wines 
of Gaza, Sarepta, Libanus, 
Saron, Ascalon, and Tyre. 
Bochart says, a triple pro- 
duce is gatheied from the 
same vine every year. Not- 
withstanding the very de- 
pressed condition of Canaan, 
it even now exports vast 
quantities of grapes, raisins, 
and inspissated juice, (or 
honey of raisins, as it is called,) 
into Egypt. 

The vine of Sodom grows 
near the Dead Sea. Its 
grapes are bitter, and con- 
sidered poisonous. Moses 
compares rebellious Israel to 
this plant. Deut. xxxii. 32. 

Wild Grapes were the 
fruit of a wretched plant, 
called by Linnaeus vitis 
labrusca. They never ripen, 
and were good only for vine- 
gar. See Isa. v. 2 — 4-. 

VINEGAR, an acid com- 
monly derived from saccha- 
rine fermented liquors. When 
distilled it becomes perfectly 
colorless, and is increased in 
strength. It seems that weak 
sour wine was called vinegar 
by the Romans. Thus Mat- 
thew says, " they gave him 
vinegar to drink, mingled 
with gall 3" whereas Mark 
informs us, " they gave him 
to drink wine mingled with 
myrrh." Dr. A. Clarke says, 
" It was a common custom 
to administer a stupifying 
potion, compounded of sour 
wine, frankincense, and myrrh, 
to condemned persons, to al- 
leviate their sufferings 5 or so 



VIR 



285 



VOW 



to disturb their intellect, that 
they might not be sensible of 
them." The rabbins ground- 
ed this on Prov. xxxi. 6. Our 
Lord, of course, refused such 
aid. By his first tasting, be- 
fore refusing it, we may infer, 
that if it had been merely 
adapted to quench thirst, it 
would not have been refused. 
Laborers in harvest refreshed 
themselves with this weak 
wine or vinegar. Ruth ii. 14. 

VINEYARD, a piece of 
ground planted with vines. 
The vineyard was prepared 
with great care, the stones 
being gathered out, a secure 
fence made round it, and a 
scaffold, or high summer- 
house, built in the centre, 
where, as the fruit ripened, a 
watchman was stationed, and 
where there was always shel- 
ter for the workmen at their 
meals, and a suitable place 
to keep the tools. Isa. v. 
1—7. Matt. xxi. 33. This 
was, of course, deserted at 
other seasons of the year. 
See Isa. i. 8. 

VIPER, a serpent which 
brings forth its young alive, 
and not, as is generally the 
case, by eggs. It seldom ex- 
ceeds 18 inches in length. 
There is no creature more 
malignant and venomous j 
the bite of some species pro- 
duces death in a few hours. 
See Job xx. 16. Isa. xxx. 6. 

VIRGIN, (1.) A virtuous 
unmarried woman. Isa. vii.14. 
(2.) The word is often used 
for a. nation or people. Isa. 



xlvii. 1. Lam. ii. 13. (.3.) 
The people of God are ofteo 
spoken of under this term 
Matt. xxv. 1. Rev. xiv. 4. 

VIRTUE, energy to pro 
duce an effect j— courage 
2 Pet. i. 3 — 53— holiness of* 
heart and life. The latter is 
its more common significa- 
tion, but in defining it writers 
are not agreed. Some define 
it u universal benevolence j" 
others " the imitation of God ;" 
others " a wise regard to our 
own interest}" others "moral 
goodness. " We may say it 
means in general whatever is 
opposed to vice. Phil. iv. 8. 

VISION, a supernatural 
appearance of men or things 
to the mind of a person not 
asleep. See Dream. 

VOICE, in general, signi- 
fies any kind of noise, whether 
made by animals or things. 
God's voice is, (1.) The 
thunder, which loudly declares 
his existence and providence. 
Ps. xxix. (2.) His laws, 
teaching, and promises ; in 
which he declares his will to 
men. Ex. xv. 26. (3.) His 
providences, wherein he pub T 
lishes his own excellences, 
awakens us from our stupid- 
ity, and calls us to our duty. 
Mic. vi. 9. Am. i. 2. To 
mark John Baptist as not the 
true Messiah, but a proclaimer 
of his appearance, he is called 
a voice. Isa. xl. 1. 

VOLUME. See Book. 

VOW, a sacred promise 
made to God, to leave off 
some sin, or to perform some 



WAL 



WAR 



duty. Gen. xxviii. 20. A 
general vow of evangelical 
obedience is made at baptism. 
The word is now used in an 
inferior sense to signify an 
oath, or solemn assurance to 
a person. The use of vows 
and promises is very observ- 
able in Scripture, from the 
earliest times. Gen. xxviii. 22. 
The Mosaic law gave distinct 
rules for their execution. The 
vows of children were not 
valid, except ratified by pa- 
rents, Numb. xxx. 3 nor those 
of a wife, except known and 
unforbidden by the husband. 
A common mode of uttering 
vows was, " God do so to me, 
and more also, if," &c. See 

CORBAN. 

VULTURE, a species of 
eagle, belonging to the order 
accipiter. It is of great ra- 
pacity, and feeds on carrion. 
Lev. xi. 14. It is called the 
'e, Deut. xiv. 13. 



W. 



WAFER means in Scrip- 
ture a flat cake, used in Jew- 
ish worship. Ex. xxix. 2. 
Lev. ii. 4, and vii. 12. 
Numb. vi. 19. 

WAGES. See Reward. 

WALK, to move by lei- 
surely steps. It is often used 
in Scripture to denote con- 
versation and manner of life j 
and to walk in darkness, is to 



live in a course of ignorance 
and sin j to walk in the light, 
is to live in the ways of truth 
and holiness ; to walk by 
faith, is to rely upon Christ 
for salvation, and to live in 
the firm belief, that the prom- 
ises of the word will be ful- 
filled and accomplished; to 
walk through the fire, Isa. 
xliii. 2, is to be exercised with 
many afflictions ; to walk 
after the flesh, is to be guided 
by the sensual appetite, or 
dictates of corrupt nature; 
to walk in the flesh, is to live 
a natural life, that is, subject 
to many infirmities and calam- 
ities j to walk with God, is to 
live in secret communion with 
him, and endeavoring above 
all things to please him, and 
to be approved of him ; to 
walk after the Spirit, is to 
be led by his counsels and 
motions to order our whole 
conversation according to the 
rule of God's word. 

WAR, a contest of nations , 
carried on by force. War 
invariably originates in the 
wicked passions of men. 
Jam. iv. 1—3. Luke ii. 14. 
It is an awful mass of evils 
and crimes, and has been per- 
mitted by a righteous God to 
scourge the nations whose 
lusts drive them to its perpe- 
tration. Mjrder, robbery, 
Sabbath-breaking, violation 
of chastity, neglect of every 
domestic duty, waste of 
treasure, pride, revenge, 
jealousy, and stratagem are 
the natural and necessary 



WAR 



287 



WAT 



fruits of war. The imple- 
ments of war have been con- 
stantly becoming more deadly. 
The inventory of Uzziah's 
arsenal was " shields, spears, 
helmets, habergeons, bows, 
and slings." Afterward he 
invented machines to shoot 
stones from the ramparts. 2 
Chr. xxvi. About 100 years 
after, we find battering rams 
were used. Ezek. iv. 2. How 
different are the present modes 
of attack and defence ! What 
misdirected ingenuity and 
science have been employed 
in rendering man a more 
dreadful destroyer ! God 
commanded the Hebrews to 
destroy the Canaanites ; but 
the wicked v/ars of the world 
derive no authority from that 
circumstance. The Jewish 
wars wty fairly be consid- 
ered in iha light of execu- 
tions. At any rate there 
was crpess divine command, 
which will not be pleaded for 
any modern war. Christ is 
M the Prince of peace :" his 
doctrines inculcate u peace 
on earth ;" and when his king- 
dom shall universally prevail, 
11 the nations shall learn war 
no more." Christians should 
therefore be men of peace, 
and should use all proper ex- 
ertions to banish war in all its 
forms from the earth. Matt. 
v. 9. Rom. xii. 18. Peace 
societies have of late done 
much to enlighten the public 
mind on this weighty subject. 
It is certain that before we 



can have the full millennium, 
wars must cease. 

The struggle in a Chris- 
tian's bosom, between the 
powers of grace and nature, 
is called a war/are, Rom. vii. 
23 j and a perseverance in 
this contest, doing our duty 
among all difficulties, is 
" fighting the good fight of 
faith." 1 Tim. vi. 12. 

WASH, to bathe, or purify. 
The Jews washed before eat- 
ing, as they used their hands 
instead of knives and forks. 
Mark vii. 3. Strangers and 
travellers had their feet 
washed by a servant. For 
the master of the house to do 
it, was esteemed the greatest 
condescension. John xiii. 8. 

WASH-POT, a word ap- 
plied to Moab, to show that 
God was determined to bring 
that people to the lowest de- 
gree of servitude, even as a 
vessel in which the hands or 
feet are washed. Ps. lx. 8. 
Compare 2 Sam. viii. 2. 

WATCH, a guard j—the 
period that a guard kept 
watch. The night was an- 
ciently divided by the Jews 
into three watches j the Jirst, 
Lam. ii. 19, the middle, Jud» 
vii. 19, and the morning 
watch, Ex. xiv. 24. This 
division is also mentioned by 
Homer, Livy, Xenophon, 
<fec. In the time of Christ, 
the night was divided by Jews 
into four watches, which was 
then the common practice of 
the Greeks and Romans. The 



WAT 



WAT 



2d and 3d of these divisions 
are mentioned Luke xii. 38 3 
the 4th ; Matt. xiv. 25, and all 
of them, Mark xiii. 35. These 
watches differed according- to 
the length of the night, which 
id Palestine varies from 14 
hours 12 minutes to 9 hours 
48 minutes. 

WATCHFUL, vigilant 
to guard against dangers. 
Watchfulness is often and 
urgently inculcated upon 
Christians. We must be 
watchful against the tempta- 
tions of Satan, Rom. x. 12 5 
the allurements of the world, 
Ps. xxxix. I5 Mark viii. 15 3 
the deceitfulness of our hearts, 
Heb. iii. 12 5 erroneous doc- 
trines 3 and, in short, against 
whatever would hinder our 
piety and usefulness. We 
are to watch for the teach- 
ings of Providence, Ps. v. 8 5 
the fulfilment of prophecies, 
Rev. xvi. 15 5 righteous de- 
liverance from trouble, Ps. 
cxxx.j proper topics, spirit, 
and seasons of prayer, Eph. 
vi. 18 3 death and judgment, 
Mark xiii. 37. 

WATER, a fluid, which 
occupies a large portion of 
the globe. Moisture raised 
by the sun, in the form of va- 
por, being carried about in 
the air, and meeting in a col- 
lective mass, produces clouds, 
and falls down in dew or rain. 
More rain falls on high than 
on low ground, and the water 
entering through crevices on 
the hills, and finding its way 
through the earth to the sur- 



face, produces springs. The 
streams of these, uniting, form 
brooks, which unite into riv- 
ers 3 and after adding to the 
beauty of the country, and 
accomplishing very many 
useful purposes, empty them- 
selves into the sea. Water is 
816 times heavier than com- 
mon air 3 a pint of it weighs 
one pound, and a cubic foot 
about 1000 ounces, or 62J 
pounds. Ice is crystallized 
water 3 and by a remarkable 
exemption from the common 
laws of heat, becomes lighter 
as it grows colder. In this is 
strikingly exemplified the wis- 
dom and goodness of God. 
Dreadful would have been the 
consequences, if, like other 
fluids, water had grown heav- 
ier by loss of heat. In 
winter, the ice on the surface 
of rivers would have sunk as 
it froze, in successive sheets, 
until the whole would have 
become a mass of ice, 
which no subsequent summer 
could thaw 5 and the world 
would soon have become un- 
inhabitable. As it now is, no 
sooner is a crust of ice form- 
ed, than the water beneath is 
protected from further cold 5 
fishes are safe, water abun- 
dant, and the moderate 
warmth of spring unbinds the 
stream. Such are the won- 
derful works of Him, who in 
infinite wisdom, and by his 
almighty power, created the 
heavens and the earth. 

We have in this country 
little idea of the value of 



WAY 



289 



WEE 



water to those who dwell 
under an ardent sun, and have 
little rain. It was often paid 
for in ancient days, Numb. 
xx. 17 — 19 5 Lam. v. 4; and 
such continues to be the cus- 
tom to this day. 

Water, when disturbed, 
signifies troubles and afflic- 
tions. Ps. lxix. 1. But flow- 
ing- in all the plenitude and 
beauty of usefulness, it rep- 
resents the gifts and comforts 
of the Holy Spirit. Isa. xii. 3. 
xxxv. 6, 7. John vii. 37, 38. 
In Scripture, water is used 
for ail sorts of drink, as bread 
is for all kinds of solid food. 

Water courses are either the 
beds of rivers, wherein they 
run, or the streams themselves. 
fsa. xliv. 4. 

WATER-SPOUTS are 
falls of water from the clouds, 
which are whirled round by 
tornadoes, so as to form a 
column j or which are forced 
with a mighty noise from the 
sea, by an earthquake at the 
bottom. They are more fre- 
quent on the coasts of Pal- 
estine and Syria, than any 
where else in the Mediterra- 
nean Sea. To them are com- 
pared heavy, overwhelming, 
and terrifying visitations. Ps. 
xliii. 7. 

WAY, a path for travellers. 
The word is frequently used 
to signify the habits of a per- 
son, or the method of doing 
any thing. Gen. vi. 12. Jer. 
x. 2. The customary dealings 
of God ar<3 called his way. 
Ps xxv. 10 Isa.lv. 8. Christ 
25 



is u the way, the truth, and the 
life •" and his salvation is the 
" new and living way" of ac- 
cess to God. Heb. x. 20. Je- 
hovah's precepts are the " way 
of truth," 2 Pet. ii. 2, and 
those who obey shall find 
them to be "ways of pleasant- 
ness and peace." Prov. iii. 17. 
WEASELS are of two 
kinds, the house and the field 
weasel. They are subtle and 
strong, though of small size. 




They prey on serpents, moles, 
rats, mice, and sometimes on 
poultry. Occurs in Lev. xi. 
29, only. 

WEEK, a division of lime, 
universally observed by the 
descendants of Noah, which, 
being lost by the Hebrews 
during their bondage in Egypt, 
was revived and enacted by 
Moses. Seven years are called 
a week. Dan. ix. 24. The 
undisputed antiquity of the use 
of weeks, is a strong confir- 
mation of the Old Testament 
history of the creation, &c. 
The Jews often used the ex- 
pression eight days to mean a 
week ; so do the Germans at 
this day. And we often say 
fortnight (or fourteen nights) 
when we mean two week* 



W EL 2 

This explains John xx. 26, 
where " eig-ht days" means a 
week. See Feast. 

WEEPING. See under 
MOURNING. 

WEIGH, (1.) To examine 
by scales. Ezek. iv. 16. (2.) 
To inspect rigidly. Prov. xvi. 
2. Isa. xxvi. 7. The shekel 
weighed 10 dwt. Sixty of 
these made a maneh, weigh- 
ing 2 lb. 6 oz. Fifty manehs 
made a talent, or 3000 shek- 
els, weighing 125 lbs. Such 
are the computations of 
Horne j but on this subject 
there is great uncertainty. 

The weight of the Sanctu- 
ary was probably a standard 
of weight kept in the temple, 
and not double the common 
weight, as some have thought. 
Neither Josephus, Philo, Je- 
rome, nor any other ancient 
author, speaks of a distinction 
between the weights of the 
temple and those of common 
use. 

WELLS are of great con- 
sequence in hot countries, and 
travellers generally paid for 
using the water of them. 
Num. xx. 17—19. They fre- 
quently have steps round the 
inside, leading down to the 
water. The oppression of 
Israel is forcibly exhibited 
in Lam. v. 4, where the pro- 
phet says, " We have bought 
our own water for money 5" 
. e. have to pay our foreign 
rulers for using the wells, 
though they are our natural 
inheritance. 

The Hebrew word for well 



WHE 



is beer. Many places have 
this prefix to their name, 
Beersheba, &c. This and 
many other circumstances 
teach us what great impor 
tance is attached in torrid cli 
mates to a good well of water. 
Abraham and Abimelech 
quarrelled for the possession 
of one. The digging of one 
being in that day a great 
work, is connected with the 
history of distinguished men. 
Gen. xxvi. 19. 2 Chr. xxvi. 

10. We should endeavor to 
conceive the vehemence of 
thirst in hot countries where 
water is scarce, when we read 
such passages as Amos viii. 

11, Ps. xlii. 2. 
WHALE, a well-known 

animal, found in various seas. 
I he narrative of Jonah merely 
says he was swallowed by a 
great fish ; whether it was the 
whale is not certain, though 
the Greek word which usually 
signifies whale is used in the 
New Testament. 

WHEAT, a grain raised 
in most parts of the earth, of 
which is made the most es- 
teemed bread. Being called 
corn in England, where the 
Bible was translated, it is of- 
ten so called in Scripture. 
Matt. xii. 1. The ordinary 
kinds of wheat are weH known. 
The annexed picture shows 
the species common in Egypt, 
and is such as appeared to 
Pharaoh in his dream, who 
saw " seven ears of corn come 
up upon one stalk, rank and 
good." Gen. xli. 5. The wis* 



as 
nd 



W H E 



291 



WIL 



dom of God is strikingly 
shown in the stalk of Egyp- 




tian wheat. If it were hollow 
and weak like ours, which has 
only to support one ear, it 
would break with the weight. 
But it is solidly filled with a 
sort of pith, and thus rendered 
sufficiently firm. The Holy 
Land produced wheat and 
barley so abundantly, that 
sixty or a hundred fold some- 
times rewarded the husband- 
man. Gen. xxvi. 12. Matt.xiii. 
8. It was exported to neigh- 
boring countries in great 
quantities. 1 Kings v. 11. 
Acts xii. 20. 

It appears from Ruth ii. 14, 
2 Sam. xvii. 28, 29, and other 
places, that parched wheat 
constituted a part of the com- 
mon food of the Jews, as it 
still does of Arabs, Indians, 
and other tribes who have 
not adopted modem refine- 
ments. To make it into meal, 
with such machinery as they 
then had, was laborious and 
expensive. See Grind. 



WIDOW. Widowhood, as 
well as celibacy, was con- 
sidered a reproach among the 
Jews, except when it was per- 
sisted in, avowedly out of re- 
gard to the deceased partner, 
or other good reasons. The 
widows spoken of in 1 Tim. v. 
seem to be persons who acted 
as deaconesses, or were sup- 
ported by the church. When 
Paul says, 1 Tim. v. IG, « If 
any man or woman that be- 
lieveth, have widows, let them 
relieve them, and let not the 
church be charged;''* it means 
that Christians of both sexes 
are bound, if possible, to take 
care of widowed grandmoth- 
ers, mother, sisters, daughters, 
&c. The passage shows also 
that having all things common 
had already passed away. 

WILDERNESS, (1.) A 
tract of land not cultivated 
like the generality of the 
country, but yet not wholly 
barren or desert. Joel i. 20. 
Such commonly derived their 
name from the chief city ad- 
jacent, as Diblah, Engedi, 
Judea, &c. The forerunner of 
our Lord resided in the wilder- 
ness of Judea, till he com- 
menced his public ministry. 
Ishmael settled in the wilder- 
ness of Paran ; and David 
took refuge from the persecu- 
tion of Saul, in the same ; iu 
which the numerous flocks of 
Nabal, the Carmelite, were 
pastured. Such places, there- 
fore, were not deserts 5 but 
thinly peopled, or less fertile 



WIL 



292 



WIL 



(2.) Places utterly waste, 
such as the wilderness where 
our Lord was tempted of the 
devil. A more dismal and 
solitary place can scarcely 
be found in the earth. About 
one hour's journey from the 
foot of the mountains which 
environ this wilderness, rises 
the lofty Quarantania, which, 
Maundrell was told, is the 
mountain into which the devil 
carried our Saviour. It is, 
as the evangelist styles it, " an 
exceeding high mountain,'' 
and in its ascent both difficult 
and dangerous. It has now 
a small chapel at the top, and 
another half way up, built on 
a prominent part of the rock. 
Near the latter are several 
caves and holes, occupied for- 
merly by hermits, and even 
in present times by religious 
devotees, who repair thither 
to keep lent, in imitation of 
our Lord's fasting in the wil- 
derness forty days. The land 
of Canaan was environed with 
wildernesses. We read of 
those of Egypt, Etham, Shur, 
Sin, Sinai, Tadmor, &c. 
The 40 years wandering of 
the Hebrews was in a wilder- 
ness indeed, and by no means 
the common thoroughfare of 
travellers between Egypt and 
Canaan. The reason why Is- 
rael was turned into it we read 
Numb. xiv. The only vegeta- 
ble productions which meet the 
eye of the traveller in that 
frightful solitude, are occa- 
sional coarse sickly grass, a 



plat of senna, or saline or 
bitter herb, or an acacia bush. 
Moses calls it " great and 
terrible," " a desert land," 
" the waste howling wilder- 
ness." Jeremiah, with sur- 
prising force and brevity, has 
exhibited those circumstances 
of terror, which the modern 
traveller details with so much 
pathos and minuteness : " The 
Lord that brought us up out 
of the land of Egypt, through 
a land of deserts and of pits, 
through a land of drought, 
and of the shadow of death, 
lhrough a land which no man 
passed through, and where no 
man dwelt." 

(3.) The word is metaphori- 
cally used to signify things 
barren or unattractive. Hence 
God asks the Hebrews if he 
had been a wilderness to them. 
Jer. ii . 31 . The Gentile world 
was called such. Isa. xxxv. 
1 — 6, and xliii. 19. The peo- 
ple of God are represented as 
in a wilderness while in this 
world, but favored with the 
presence of Christ. Song 
viii. 5. 

WILD-HONEY. See 
Honey. 

WILL, that faculty or op- 
eration of the mind, whereby 
a man freely chooses or re- 
fuses. Scripturally, to will 
any thing is of nature ; but to 
will what is good, is of grace. 
Ps. ex. 3. John viii. 36. 
Phil. ii. 13. The will cf God 
may be known by reading his 
word, observing his provi 



WIN 



293 



WIN 



der.ces, and praying" for his 
Spirit to enlighten, instruct 
and eriiide the soul. 

WlLLOW. The tree so 
called in Scripture is that 
which still retains the name, 
and is well known. Isa. xv. 7. 

WILL-WORSHIP, some- 
thing in the service of God, 
beyond divine requirement. 
All uncommanded mortifica- 
tions and austerities 5 invoca- 
tion of saints 3 burning candles 
in churches, &c, are of this 
nature, and of course displeas- 
ing to God. Col. ii. 23. 

WIMPLE, a hood, Isa. iii. 
22. The word occurs also 
Ruth iii. 15, and is there 
translated Vail, which see. 

WIND, a flow of air from 
one place to another. There 
are trade winds, which blow 
constantly from east to west, 
and monsoons, which blow 
three or six months at once 
from one point, and as long 
from the opposite. The Sa- 
miel, or Simoom, is the most 
terrible wind of Eastern coun- 
tries. Coming over the vast 
deserts, it brings intense and 
suffocating heat and dryness, 
with billows of sand and dust, 
carrying with it fiery streaks, 
like threads of silk : whoever 
copiously breathes it dies. It 
rarely lasts more than seven 
or eight minutes. If travel- 
lers see it approach, and lay 
their faces to the earth till it 
pass, they commonly escape. 
Camels and other animals do 
this by instinct. It is, of 
course, most dangerous when 
25* 



it comes unpcrccivcd in th* 
night. Whole caravans have 
perished in it. It is probable 
this was the u messenger of 
the Lord," which destroyed 
185,000 men of Sennacherib's 
army in one night. 2 Kings 
xix. 35. The preceding ac- 
count will-beautifully illustrate 
the following passages of 
Scripture — Job xv. 2, and 
xxvii. 21, and xxxviii. 2i. 
Jer. iv. 11. E'iek. xvii. 10, 
and xix. 12. Hos. xii. 1, and 
xiii. 15. Jonah iv. 3. Hab 
i. 9. Ps. ciii. 15, 1G. 

A whirlwind is a strong 
blast, which winds about in 
a circular manner. Multi- 
tudes of such blasts come from 
the deserts of Arabia : and out 
of one of them the Lord spake 
to Job. Isa. xxi. 1. Job xxxvii. 
9, and xxxviii. 1. Whirlwinds 
sometimes sweep down trees, 
houses, and every 'thing in 
their way. Prov. x. 25. 

Violent winds are computed 
to fly at the rate of 4000 feet 
in a minute ! They are of 
great importance in preserv- 
ing the purity of the atmos- 
phere. The operations of the 
Spirit of God on the heart, 
by which a spiritual change 
is wrought in the soul, are 
compared to the blowing of 
the wind, the effect being evi- 
dent, but the manner incom- 
prehensible. John iii. 8. 

WINE, a liquor made from 
grapes, much in the manner 
that cider is made from apples. 
There is no evidence that wine 
was known before the delude. 



W 1 N 



294 



WIN 



Noah was probably the first 
who preserved the juice of 
the grape, till by fermentation 
it became proper wine. Be- 
fore him, men only ate grapes 
like other fruit, or drank the 
juice as just pressed from the 
fruit. This mode of drinking 
was common in the days of 
Joseph. Gen. xi. 2. Noah, 
ignorant of its strength, 
fell into intoxication. Gen. 
ix. 20, 21. The Jews, after 
settling" in Canaan, used wine 
of various sorts 5 of which the 
red seems to have been most 
esteemed. Prov. xxiii. 31. Isa. 
xxvii. 2. Rev. xiv. 20. The 
u mixt wine," Prov. xxiii. 30, 
rendered in Isaiah lxv. 11, 
u drink-offering, " may mean 
wine rendered more potent by 
the addition of myrrh, and 
other drugs, or of defrutum, 
that, is, wine inspissated by 
boiling it down. Homer 
speaks of Helen giving- such 
wine to her guests when op- 
pressed with grief, to raise 
their spirits. Thus the drunk- 
ard is properly described as 
one that seeketh mixed wine, 
Prov. xxiii, 30 5" and " min- 
gles strong drink." The pro- 
cess of distilling ardent spirits 
from wine and other liquors, 
was invented by the Saracens, 
several centuries after the 
death of Christ. 

WINE-PRESS, a vat or 
cistern, sometimes above 
ground, sometimes sunk into 
the earth. It was divided 
into two parts, one being 
deeper than the other. Into 



the shallow compartment the 
grapes were thrown, while 
several men trod them with 
their feet, and the juice ran into 
the lower part. This explains 
that fine passage, Isa. lxiii. 
1 — 5. See also Rev. xiv. 18. 
Jer. xxv. 30. That the mode 
of making wine is not mate- 
rially altered, is seen by the 




engraving, which accurately 
represents the mariner now 
practised in France and Ger- 
many. 

WINNOW, to clean grain 
by exposing it to the wind. 
A person is represented doing 
this in the picture under 
Threshing. 

WINTER, the season of 
cold, barrenness, and storms. 
In the torrid zone, which is 
about 3270 miles broad, they 
have two winters, or rainy 
seasons, a year, but both are 
very mild. At the poles, 



WIS 



295 



WIS 



nearly the whole year is win- 
ter, and awfully severe. Gen. 
viii. 22. Spring and autumn 
are scarcely known. Vege- 
tation starts suddenly at the 
return of the sun, and soon 
comes to perfection. In Swe- 
den, nine months are a severe 
winter. In Canaan, great men 
had their warm houses for the 
winter season, as well as 
cooler ones for the summer. 
Jer. xxxvi. 22. Amos iii. 15. 
The winter there is wet and 
cold j especially between the 
12th of Dec. and 20th of Jan. 
Matt. xxiv. 20. Seasons of 
temptation, persecution, and 
distress, are likened to a win- 
ter. "Summer and winter," 
may signify all the year long, 
or perpetually. Zech. xiv. 8. 
To winter in a place, is to 
live in it during the winter. 
' , Isa. xviii. 6. Acts xxvii. 12. 
WISDOM, the power of 
judging rightly what is to be 
done, according to circum- 
stances. This is " worldly wis- 
dom. 7 ' But spiritual wisdom, 
" which is from above/' Jam. 
iii. 17, begins in the fear of 
God, and produces true piety 
in al! our deportment. It is 
known by several properties. 
It is pure, making men care- 
ful to avoid defilement by sin. 
It is peaceable, under all the 
trying circumstances of life. 
It is gentle toward the infirmi- 
ties of others, interpreting all 
| things for the best, and re- 

i ceding even from right for the 

sake of peace. It is easy to 
be entreated; making men 



yield to good counsel, and 
sound reason. It is full of 
mercy; making us pity the 
afflicted, and ready to forgive 
those that have offended us, 
1 1 i s full of (rood fruits ; o f be- 
neficence, liberality, and all 
other offices of humanity which 
proceed from mercy. It is 
without partiality ; not court- 
ing and favoring the rich 
and influential merely because 
they are so, but regarding and 
loving men according to their 
piety. It is also without hy- 
pocrisy, not counterfeiting 
goodness ; nor condemning 
others, and yet being guilty 
of the same things ourselves. 

It is put for the Scriptures 
generally, Luke xi. 49 j for 
the doctrine of the gospel, 
1 Cor. ii. 6, 7; and for our 
Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal 
and essential wisdom of God, 
Prov. iii. 19. 

WISE MEN, or Magi. 
The Magian religion existed 
anciently in Persia. It was 
so revived and extended by 
Zoroaster that he has been 
regarded as the founder of 
the sect. They had temples 
in which were kept perpetual 
fires. The priests of the Magi 
being the only learned mathe- 
maticians and philosophers of 
the age in which they lived, 
the term Magian became sy- 
nonymous with learned man. 
The wise men or Magi, who 
visited our Saviour at his 
birth, were probably Persian 
doctors, or perhaps princes, as 
the philosophers were fre- 



WIT 



296 



WOL 



quently of the royal race. 
Matt. ii. 1. 

WIT, an obsolete word for 
know ; from which comes wot, 
for knew. Ex. xxxii.l. Acts 
iii. 17. " We do you to wit/ 7 2 
Cor. viii. 1, means we inform 
you. It is now used only in 
the infinitive mode, to wit, 
meaning namely, or that is to 
say. 

WITCH is a woman, and 
wizard is a man, that has, or 
is supposed to have, dealings 
with Satan. In Europe witch- 
craft was universally believed 
in, till the sixteenth century, 
and is still, in most parts of 
the earth. Of late, in Europe 
and America, some have de- 
nied its existence altogether. 
That such persons have been 
found among men, is abun- 
dantly plain from Scripture. 
Lev. xix. 31. Deut. xviii. 10, 
11. 2 Chron. xxxiii. 6. Gal. 
v. 20. By the Jewish law 
they were to be put to death. 
Ex. xxii. 18. Lev. xx. 27. 
It is plain, that great caution 
is necessary in the detection 
and punishment of those who 
may be guilty of this crime. 
Witchcraft excludes from the 
kingdom of God. Gal. v. 20. 
It is a great sin to place any 
confidence in persons who 
profess these powers 5 or to 
honor or aid them by seek- 
ing them to interpret dreams, 
tell fortunes, discover stolen 
goods, &c. Those who thus 
consult them are abhorred of 
God. Lev. xx. 6. Nah. iii. 
4. Mic. v. 12. 



WITHES, twisted boughs, 
bark, willow, &c. such as 
those by which fagots are 
bound together. Jud. xv. # 
7,8. 

WITNESS, one who gives 
evidence. The Holy Spirit 
"beareth witness" to our 
adoption, by producing in us 
the graces of Christianity. 
Rom. viii. Christ is called 
the "faithful witness/' Rev. 
i. 5, because he faithfully de- 
clared the things of God, and 
sealed his testimony with his 
blood. The prophets and pi- 
ous persons of the Old Testa- 
ment, are a " cloud of wit- 
nesses" to the faithfulness and 
mercy of God. The apostles 
are competent witnesses of the 
things they affirm in the New 
Testament, because they saw 
and heard the things of which 
they speak. They are credi- 
ble witnesses, because they 
had no interest to deceive, 
and suffered great hardships, 
and even death, for the sake 
of their testimony. 

WO is a word of mourn- 
ing. Ezek. xxx. 2. Ps. cxx. 
5. A 2oo is a heavy calamity. 
Rev. viii. 13. Matt, xxiii. 13. 
Woful, full of distress and 
sorrow. Jer. xvii. 16. 

The word is often used in 
the Bible in a sense far re- 
moved from denunciation , 
and meaning only a lamenta- 
tion over the sufferings of our- 
selves or others 5 as, " Wo 
is me/ 7 Ps. cxx. 5. Matt. xxiv. 
19, &c. 

WOLF, an animal 01" tne 



WO R 



891 



WO R 



dog" kind, crafty, greedy, rav- 
enous, fierce, and of a quick 
smell. Wolves al>ide in for- 
ests, and live on smaller ani- 
mals. Matt. vii. 15. They 
can bear hunger long", hut are 
then exceedingly fierce, and 
will attack either man or beast. 
Hence, in the evening, when 
they come h ingry out of their 
holes, they are dangerous. 
Jer. v. 6. The species most 
common in Syria, Africa, &c. 
is the hyaena. The name is 
applied to tyrannical rulers, 
Zep. iii. 3 : — to false prophets, 
Matt. vii. 1.5: — to mercenary 
pastors. Acts xx. 29, &c. 

WOMAN. Before the fall 
the woman seerns to have 
been more on a level with the 
man, than since the curse, in 
which she seems to have been 
the greater sharer. In most 
parts of the world, women are 
treated harshly. So much is 
this the case in some countries, 
that mothers often murder 
their female infants, that they 
may not experience such hard- 
ships as themselves endure. 
In the Christian church.women 
are raised to an equality with 
men in most of their religious 
privileges, but are not per- 
mitted to govern or teach. 
Gal. iii. 23. 1 Cor. xiv. 34. 
Rules for female behavior 
and dress are laid down, Tit. 
ii. 1 Pet. iii. <fec. and their 
duties towards their husbands, 
in 1 Cor. vii. Eph. v. 

WORD, an intelligible 
sound. Any discourse is so 
called. Gen. xxxvii. 14. Deut. 



iv. 2. The term is applied to 
the sacred Scriptures. Luke 
xi. 28. Jam. i. 22. It is also 
a name of Christ. John i. 
Heb. iv. 12—14, and xi. 3. 
Why he is so called we are 
not expressly told ; perhaps 
because he is the intelligible 
indication of the Father's wii! 
and character, as words are 
of our thoughts, Heb. i. 2, 3; 
and because he spake crea- 
tion into being, communicated 
with the patriarchs and pro- 
phets, declared the gospel 
when on earth, now intercedes 
in heaven, and will give sen- 
tence at the last day. 

WORK, any thing done. 
Creation is the work of God. 
Gen. ii. 2. The works of 
God's providence are his pre- 
servation and government of 
the world. John v. 17. The 
work of redemption is attrib- 
uted to the three persons of 
the Trinity; the beginning is 
from the Father 5 the dispen- 
sation is through the Son ; and 
the application by the Spirit. 
John vi. 29. 1 Pet. i. 2. 

By good works, are under- 
stood all manner of duties, as 
well thoughts as words and 
actions, towards God or man, 
which are commanded in the 
law of God, and proceed from 
a pure heart and faith un- 
feigned, and are referred to 
God's glory. Eph. ii. 10. 
Good works are the way to 
the kingdom, not the cause of 
entering thither. They are 
imperfect, Ecc. vii. 20 ; and 
of course are not meritorious, 



WOR 



298 



VVRI 



Luke xvii. 10, They are, 
however, the only evidence of 
our title to heaven. James 
ii. 18—20. They show our 
gratitude to God, Ps. cxvi. 
12, 13 ; are honorary to our 
profession, Tit. ii. 10 ; and 
profitable to men, Tit. iii. 8. 

WORLD, (1.) The earth 
and all the animals and vege- 
tables on its surface ; man- 
kind generally. (2.) The uni- 
verse and all created beings. 
John i. 10. (3.) The wicked, 
who relish and love nothing 
but worldly things, and pur- 
sue only worldly designs. 
John xv. 13. (4.) The Gen- 
tiles. Rom. xi. 12. (5.) The 
pleasures, riches, and honors 
of the world. 1 Cor. vii. 31. 
Man's tongue is a u world of 
iniquity 5" its words contain 
inconceivable wickedness. 
Jam. iii. 6. Worldly is what 
is of a carnal and earthly 
nature. Tit. ii. 12. Heb. ix. 1. 

WORMWOOD, an herb, 
of a very bitter taste. In the 
Septuagint, the original word 
is variously rendered, and 
generally by terms expressive 
of its figurative sense 5 that is, 
for what is offensive, odious, 
or deleterious 5 as idolatry, 
profaneness, apostasy, &c. 
Deut. xxix. 18. Heb. xii. 15. 
Celsius considers it to be 
the absinthum santonicum Ju- 
daicum, which Rauwolf de- 
scribes as abounding round 
about Bethlehem. Prov. v. 4. 
Lam. iii. 15. 

WORSHIP, to bow down 
irith reverence. It means, (1.) 



Civil reverence, given to per* 
sons of authority or worth. 
Matt. ix. 18. xviii. 26. Luke 
xiv. 10. (2.) Outward hom- 
age, given as an acknowledg- 
ment of Deity. Matt. iv. 10. 
Dan. iii. 5, 12, 14. (3.) In- 
ward trust, love, and fear of 
God, because of his infinite 
excellence and glory. John iv. 
24. Phil. iii. 3. 

WOT, to know; to be 
aware ; a word not now in 
common use. Numb. xxii. 6. 
See Wit. 

WRATH, (1.) Violent dis- 
pleasure. When it is attrib- 
uted to God, it does not mean 
that he is capable of violent 
passion, but is used figura- 
tively. To " give place to 
wrath , ,; means, we must not 
provoke the wicked to ex- 
tremities, but go away, as 
from a furious beast. Our 
days are " passed in God's 
wrath, 77 when we spend them 
under tokens of his displeas- 
ure. (2.) Punishment, or the 
effects of anger. Rom. xiii. 4. 
Matt. iii. 7. 1 Thess. i. 10. 
We are by nature u children 
of wrath j" that is, persons 
fitted for destruction. Eph. 
ii. 3. Rom. ix. 22. 

WRITING was probably 
taught men by the inspiration 
of God. Ex. xvii. 14 5 xxiv. 4. 
The alphabets of all lan- 
guages have a remarkable 
similarity to the Hebrew. 
At first, writing seems to have 
been very rudely done, the 
letters being cut or scratched 
on stone, Ex xxiv. 12 3 or on 



WRI 



299 



YEA 



plastered stones, Deut. xxvii. 
2 j or on clay, which was then 
baked like brick ; or on plates 
of lead. Afterward tablets of 
wood were used, on which the 
letters were traced. Then those 
were improved by covering 
them with thin wax,and writing 
with a sharp stick. To obliter- 
ate the writing, they were held 
to the fire j hence God is said 
to blot out sins " as a cloud. 77 
These were further improved 
by beii g made thin and deli- 
cate, so as to occupy little 
space, and be portable ; and 
writing with a species of ink, 
without using wax. Speci- 
mens of such writing, done by 
modern Burmans, are found 
in the collection at the Baptist 
Missionary Rooms, in Boston. 
Of these the annexed engrav- 
ing will give a tolerable idea. 




The lower figure holds one of 
these books in the hand, con- 
sisting of 30 or 40 thin leaves 
in the shape of a parallelo- 
gram. The upper shows the 
manner in which they were 
wrapped up for preservation 
from dust, &c. From this an 
illustration of Ps. xl. 7, has 



been given by Taylor — tl In 
the volume of the book it is 
written of me" — which the 
lxx render in the head of the 
book. Chkysostom describes 
this to be the envelope on which 
was written, " About the 
coming of Messiah, 77 which 
Harmer says amounts to 
this, that the sum and sub- 
stance of the Old Testament 
is, " Messiah cometh/ 7 so that 
these words might be ticketed 
or inscribed on the wrapper, 
just as we now letter a book 
on the back of the binding. 

The sharp instrument for 
writing was called a style ; 
hence we call a man's manner 
of writing his style. After- 
ward, bark, &c. became used. 
See Book, and Paper. 



Y. 



YEAR, a space of twelve 
months. The Jews had both 
a civil and a sacred year 5 in 
the first they regulated their 
national concerns, and in the 
other, their religious affairs 
and festivals. The civil year 
commenced in the month 
Tizri. that is, at the autum- 
nal equinox ; and their sacred 
year in the month Nisan, or 
ancient Abib, Ex. xii. 2, 
which corresponded either to 
March or April, according to 
the passover moon. The sa- 
cred year was instituted as a 



YEA 



300 



YEA 



new era to commemorate the 
deliverance of Israel from the 
yoke of the Egyptians. Ex. 
xii. 2. It might be consid- 
ered as a presage of the gos- 
pel day, because it began in 
the very month in which 
Christ was crucified, and thus 
put an end to the ancient dis- 
pensation. John xix. 30. 
Every third year, they added 
a month, to make up for the 
days lost in consequence of 
measuring the months by rev- 
olutions of the moon, which 
made the year consist of 354 
days. This intercalary month 
they called Ve-adar, or second 
Adar. See Month. 

Ignorance of chronology, 
and pride of antiquity, made 
the Egyptians, Chaldeans, 
Chinese, Indians, and others, 
date back the rise of their 
own nation to the distance of 
a ridiculous number of years. 
It is now conceded by most 
learned men, that the crea- 
tion occurred at or about 4004 
years before the birth of our 
Saviour. The practice of 
numbering the years from the 
birth of Christ, was not 
adopted for several centuries 
after that event. Different 
countries had different eras 
for commencing ; such as the 
foundation of a metropolis, or 
the reign of a king. The last 
method was used in England 
till the time of Cromwell, 
when the Christian era was 
adopted. Anno Domini, gen- 
erally written a. d., means 
year of our Lord Anno 



Mundi, or A. M., marks the 
date from creation. 

There is much confusion 
in all chronology, from the 
incorrect modes of computing 
the year, practised by early 
nations. The use of lunar 
months, of 29J days each, 
made the year too short. 
Many plans were adopted to 
regulate the year, but none 
came near making the lunar 
and solar year correspond, 
till Julius Cesar, by the help 
of his astronomers, brought it 
to a considerable degree of 
accuracy. He abolished the 
lunar month, and established 
a solar year, of 365 days, 6 
hours, divided into 12 artifi* 
cial months, consisting alter- 
nately of 30 and 31 days. 
The odd six hours in four 
years made a whole day, 
which was added by count- 
ing the 24th day of February 
twice. The year on which 
this was done was called 
leap year. The new reckon- 
ing, however, was not per- 
fectly exact, for the true year 
consists of only 365 days 5 
hours and 49 minutes, so that 
the Julian year was eleven 
minutes too long. This sur- 
plus m 130 years amounted 
to a whole day, and in 1600 
years had created an error of 
ten days. In the year 1582, 
Pope Gregory XIII., at the 
instance of Lilio, the Roman 
astronomer, proposed to strike 
out this excess of ten days, 
and to omit three leap years 
in every four centuries. This 



YES 



301 



YOK 



was for a while called New 
Style, and was gradually 
adopted both by Catholic and 
Protestant states. It was not 
introduced into England till 
the middle of the last cen- 
tury, [1752,] at which time 
the difference amounted to 
eleven days. Russia has not 
yet acceded to this reform, 
and the difference now 
amounts to twelve days. So 
that the 12th day of the 
month with us, is the first day 
of that month with her. Our 
present calendar is very 
nearly though not quite cor- 
rect. The surplus, as now 
left, would amount only to 
seven hours in 1000 years. 

In prophetic style a year 
signifies 360 years, and a 
month 30 years, a day being 
put for a year j and so three 
years and a half, and " times, 
time, and half a time," or 42 
months, or 1260 days, denote 
the 1260 years 1 duration of 
Antichrist. Rev. xi. 2 ; 3} 
xii. 6, 14. 

As parts of days were 
counted as whole ones, so 
were parts of years, which 
helps to confuse the chronol- 
ogy of some parts of the Old 
Testament. Though a king 
or judge came to the throne 
near the close of the year, 
yet when the new year began 
he was said to be in the 
second year of his govern- 
ment, though in fact he had 
reigned but a few months. 

YESTERDAY is a term 
used to denote past time, as 
26 



to-morrow is to denote timt 
future. Where our transla- 
tion has " forever," the origi- 
nal word in several places is 
to-morrow. What is rendered, 
Ex. xxi. 29, " time past," is 
in the Hebrew, yesterday 
Heb. xiii. 8. Job viii. 9. 

YOKE, a frame of wood 
for the neck of oxen by whicn 
they draw j a mark of servi- 
tude, bondage, or slavery. 
The service of God is, to 
flesh and blood, a yoke, be- 
cause it restrains our natural 
inclinations $ yet it is easy in 
comparison with the service 
of sin, the covenant of works, 
or the ceremonial law. Matt, 
xi. 29, 30. Gal. v. 1. It is 
easy to them that love God, 
and are born of the Spirit, 
because the law is written in 
their hearts 3 they are endued 
with faith, and strength- 
ened by Christ. Psalm 
xxxvii. In the ordinance of 
the red heifer that was to be 
slain for the water of separa- 
tion, Numb. xix. 2, 9, it was 
expressly required that she 
should be u without spot or 
blemish, and never have worn 
a yoke." As all the ancient 
institutions were designed to 
convey religious instruction, 
we learn from this victim, that 
our Jirst services are due ic 
God j and typically, the per- 
fection of our Lord and Sa- 
viour Jesus Christ, whose 
blood cleanseth from all sin 
Heb. ix. 13, 14. 1 John i. 7 
With respect to the creature 
never having worn a yoke. 



Z A C 



302 



ZE A 



the heathens were particu- 
larly scrupulous on this point. 
Hence Homer represents 
Diomedes as promising to 
Pallas 

1 A yearly heifer, 



Unconscious of the galling yoke." 



z. 



ZACCHE'US, a rich pub- 
lican. Whether he was a 
Jew or not, is uncertain. 
Publicans paid government a 
certain sum for the taxes of 
a specified district, and ihen 
collected them on their own 
account and risk. This is 
called farming a revenue. 

ZACHARIAH, or Zech- 
ariah. There were several 
persons of this name. (1.) A 
king* of Israel, who reigned 
but six months. 2 Kings xv. 
(2.) A chief priest, marty/ed 
by king Joash. 2 Chr. xxiv. 
He is probably the person 
mentioned by our Saviour, 
Matt, xxiii. 35. (3.) One of 
the minor prophets, who re- 
turned from Babylon, with 
Zerubbabel, a. m. 3484, and 
began to prophesy about two 
months after Haggai. He 
and Haggai zealously en- 
couraged the Jews to rebuild 
the temple and city, the work 
on which had been suspended 
for several years. He wrote 
the book which bears his 
name, and has been called 



the chief of the minor prophets. 
(4.) One of the common 
priests, father of John Baptist, 
Luke i. 

ZA'DOK, the son of Ahi- 
tub, appointed high priest 
by Saul. By this event that 
high office was returned, to 
the family of Eleazer, after 
it had continued nearly 120 
years in the house of Eli, and 
the family of Ithamar. 

ZAMZUM'MIMS, a gi- 
gantic race of men residing 
near Moab. Deut. ii. 20. 

ZARED, a brook beyond 
Jordan, falling into the Dead 
Sea. It is probably the 
stream which Burckhardt 
calls Wady Beni Hammad. 
Deut. ii. 13, 14. 

ZAR'EPHATH, or Sa 
repta, where Elijah dwelt 
some time with a widow, 
was a seaport of Phoenicia, 
midway between Tyre and 
Sidon. 1 Kings xvii. 9, 10. 
Luke iv. 26. About a. d. 
400, it was still of some note. 
Its present name is Sarfend. 

ZAR'ETAN,Zar'tanah, 
or Zered'athah, a place 
near to which the waters stood 
in heaps, as Joshua passed 
below. The large molten 
vessels of the temple were 
cast in the adjacent plain. 
Josh. iii. 16. 1 Kings iv. 12. 
2 Chr. iv. 17. 

ZEAL, a fervent passion 
or earnest desire for any 
thing, but especially in the 
cause of religion. 2 Kings 
x. 16. Tit. ii. 14. St. Paul 
speaks of some Jews having 






Z E L 



bat not ae- 

" Horn. 

x. 2; that in, they had an 

earne .aintain 

I : ;al to 

^customed; 
but k: nteoas- 

ness wh ereb y a person ii 
j 

importance 
that g enlightened 

and pure. When it is cher- 
ished 
- 

it leads on to fury, per- 
secution, and every evil 
i xvi. 2. Acts ix. 
I is his high 
and holy rag is own 

honor, and to the welfare of 

jgs xix. 31. 

the cities of the plain, de- 
valley near 
Jericho. 1 Sam. xii. f 
A city of the Benjamites. 
Neh. xi. 34. 

ZEJ i Zabulok, 

the sixth son of Jacob by 
Leah, born about a. m. 2256, 
from whom sprang- one of the 
tribes of Israel. When this 
tribe came out of Egypt, 
their fighting men amounted 
to 57,400 men, commanded 
oy Eliab the M 
Tbey increased 3100 in the 
wilderness. They bad their 
inheritance between the Sea 
iee and the Mediterra- 
nean, and enriched 
selves by fisheries, commerce, 
and the manufacture of glass. 
Tbey were very honest in 



atfelfi, and notwith- 
standing the distance, were 

il attendants on the 
worship alem 

Gen. nb DMtrj 

was signally blessed with the 
early ■ and mira- 

cle* of i 

1, 2. Matt. >v. 13, 15. ] 
was a city of this name in the 
r. Josh. , 

>£KIAH, 

Josiah. \V ^:h ad- 

carried Jehoia !jin, 
'' Judah, 
Babylon, he made 

•ad after be had 

caused him to swear to be his 

:y, and charged hi 3 

/ 

gan to reign when he was 

twenty-one years of age, and 

en. His i 

<;. 2 
Kings xxiv. 13—20. 1 
xxxvi. 11 — 13. He revolted, 
but was subdued i 
prisoner to Nebuchad,- 
who caused his children to be 
murdered before bis face, and 
then his eyes to be plucked 
out 3 after which be loaded 
him with chains and seat him 
to Babylon, where be 
Jer. xxi. xx 

ZLi. 
a sect often mentioned in 
Jewish .'.amy is of 

opinion that the jiut men 
entangle Christ in his 
nation, Wet 
class. Luke xx. 20. Gill 
says, that they were a set 
of men, who (in irr. 



ZER 



304 



Z IO 



of Phinehas, who slew Zimri 
and Cozbi in the act of 
uncleanness) would imme- 
diately kill any person whom 
they found committing adul- 
tery, idolatry, blasphemy, or 
theft. He quotes various 
Jewish authors, who regarded 
their conduct as highly lauda- 
ble. Their conduct, how- 
ever, cannot be justified. 
The name was probably 
given to Simon from the cir- 
cumstance of his having been 
one of these persons. He is 
called also Canaanite, proba- 
bly for the same reason ; the 
word Kana, in Hebrew, 
having the same meaning as 
Zelotes. Luke vi. 15. 
Acts i. 13 

ZEMARA'IM, a city of 
Benjamin, not far from Beth- 
el, near which was fought a 
bloody battle in the days of 
Jeroboam I. Josh, xviii. 22. 
2 Chr. xiii. 3—18. 

ZEM'ARITES, descend- 
ants of Canaan, by Zemar, 
his tenth son. Gen. x. 18. 

ZEPHANIAH is thought 
to have lived about the time 
of Jeremiah. He awfully re- 
proves the wickedness of his 
times ; predicted God's chas- 
tisement by the invasions 
of the Chaldeans ; declared 
glonous things for the church; 
and denounced ruin upon 
idolatrous nations. 

ZE'RAD. See Za'red. 

ZE'Il A II , who Came against 
Asa, with an immense army, 
was king of Cush. 2 Chr. 
tiv. 9. 



ZERUB'BABEL was the 

Jewish name of Shesbaz- 
zar, who built the second 
temple, by authority of Cy- 
rus, Ezra v. 16. Zech. iv. 9. 
He took with him to Judea a 
colony of 50,000 persons, and 
restored the temple worship 
It is obvious that he was a 
very eminent man and chief 
of the Jews in his day, but 
nothing more of his history is 
known. How transient is the 
honor that cometh from man ! 
In his day lived Haggai 
and Zechariah the prophets. 
Hag. i. and ii. Zech. iv. 

ZIF, or Jair, the second 
month of the Jewish sacred 
year, and eighth of the civil, 
answering to our April. Such 
as by reason of journeys, un- 
cleanness, &c, were debarred 
from keeping the passover at 
the regular time, were per- 
mitted to observe it on the 
14th of this month. 

ZION, orSioN. (l.)Part 
of the range of mountains in 
the north of Canaan, called 
Anti-Libanus. Deut. iv. 48. 
(2.) Part of the site of Jeru- 
salem ; but which of the sev- 
eral hills on which it stood 
was so called, is not now ab- 
solutely certain, the whole 
city having early taken that 
name, and the temple itself 
especially. Ps. lxv. 1 •, 
lxxxiv. 7. That which is now 
called Mount Zion, by the 
inhabitants of Jerusalem, lies 
south of the city, and outside 
of the present walls. Part 
of it is occupied as a burial 



Z IO 



305 



zuz 



place for Christians, and part 
by a convent of Armenians ; 
but the principal portion is 
arable land, laid out in Jields. 
See the prophecy, Mic. iii. 12. 
Jer. xx vi. 18. 

The worshippers at the 
temple, if not the whole in- 
nabitants of Jerusalem, are 
called Zion. Ps. xcvii. 8. It 
is thought that the temple 
stood on Mount Moriah, 
where Abraham offered his 
son. 1 Kings viii. 1. Ps. 
xlviii. 2. The Church is 
called Zion. Ps. cii. 13. 
26* 



Isa. ii. 3. Heb. xii. 22. The 
name is applied to heaven. 
Rev.xiv. 1. SeeJERUSALEM. 

ZO'AN, an extremely an- 
cient and very distinguished 
city of Egypt. Numb. xiii. 
22. Ps. lxxviii. 12. Tt is 
called in Greek writers Tanis. 

ZO'AR, one of the five 
cities threatened to be de- 
stroyed by fire from heaven, 
but preserved at the interces- 
sion of Lot. It seems to have 
been formerly called Beta. 

ZU'ZIM. SeeZAMZUM'- 



DanJ. Nolle, Johnson. 



TABLES 

OP WEIGHTS, MEASURES, AND MONEY, MENTIONED 
IN THE BIBLE. 



Great uncertainty rests on some of these calculations, and exactitude 
is not attainable. The works of Arbuthnot, Home, Brown, &c, 
have been carefully corrpared, and where they disagree, the 
computations have been rrade anew. 



1. Jewish Weights, reduced to Troy Weight, 

lta. oz. pen. gr. 

The gerah, one twentieth of a shekel 12 

Bekah, half a shekel 5 

Theshekel 10 

The maneh, 60 shekels 2 6 

The talent, 50 manehs, or 3000 shekels 125 

2. Measures of Length, reduced to English Measure, 

feet, inches. 

Adigit* 0.9 

4==Apalm 3.6 

12 = 3 = A span 10.9 

24= 6= 2 = Acubit 1 9.8 

96= 24= 8= 2 = A fathom 7 3.5 

144= 36= 12= 6 = 1.5=Ezekiel , sreed 10 11.3 

192= 48= 16= 8= 2= 1.3 = An Arabian pole 14 7.1 

1920 = 480 = 160 = 80 = 20 = 13.3 = 10 = A sclumus, or 

measuring line 145 II. 

3. Long Measures, 

miles, paces, feet. 

Acubit 1.8 

400 = A stadium or furlong 145 4.6 

2000= 5 = A sabbath day's journey 729 3. 

4000= 10= 2 = An Eastern mile 1 403 1. 

12000= 30= 6= 3 = Aparasang 4 153 3. 

96000 = 240 = 48 = 24 =8 = A day's journey 33 172 4 

* To understand the four following tables, read them thus : "A digit is nine tenths 
of an inch : 4 digits equal I palm, or three inches and six tenths ; 12 digits, or 3 
palms, equal 1 span, or ten inches and nine tentlis," Sec. 



TABLES. 307 

4. Measures of Capacity for Liquids, 

ff&L pint*. 

Acaph 0.6 

1.3 = AIog 0.8 

5.3= 4 = Acab 3.3 

16 =12= 3 = Ahin 1 2. 

32 =04= 6=2 = Aseah 2 4. 

9G = 72 = 18= 6= 3 = Abathorephah 7 4. 

9G0 =720 = 180 = 60 = 20 = 10= A kor, choros, chomer 

or homer 75 5. 

5 . Measures of Capacity for Things dry. 

peck*, fal. pta. 

Agachal 0.1 

20 = A cab 2.8 

36= 1.8 = An omer or gomer 5.1 

120= 6 = 3.3 = Aseah 1 1. 

360= 18 = 10 = 3 = Aephah 3 3. 

1800= 90 =50 =15= 5 = Aletech 16 0. 

3600 = 180 =100 =30= 10 = 2 = A homer or kor 32 1. 



6. Jewish Silver Money, reduced to E?iglish and American 
Currency. 

£. : d. $ d*. 

1 gerah (the smallest money) • 1} or 02J 

lOgerahs =A bekah 1 1} « 25 

2bekahs = A shekel 2 3j " 50 

SO shekels = A maneh 5 14 0J " 25.09J 

50 manehs = A talent 342 3 9 " 1,505.62£ 

A talent of gold was equal to 5,475 0** 24,309.00 



7. Roman Money, mentioned in the New Testament, reduced to 
English and American Currency. 

£. t. d. far. $ ef». 

Amite (Aacapiov) Oj or 00J 

A farthing, about 1£ ** 00} 

A penny, or denarius (Arjpapt op) 7 2 ** I3j 

A pound, or mma 3 2 6 0** 13.75 



A TABLE, 



SHOWING THE YEARS IN WHICH THE CHIEF BENEVO- 
LENT SOCIETIES WERE INSTITUTED. 



A. D. 

Society for Propagating the Gospel in Foreign Parts, England,.. 1647. 

Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, 1701. 

Danish Mission College, 1715. 

United Brethren, 1732. 

Sunday Schools commenced by Robert Raikes, 1782. 

Sunday Sch. Society, Eng., first in the world, by William Fox, 1785. 

Methodist Missionary Society, England, 1791 . 

First Sunday School in the United States, Philadelphia, 1791. 

Baptist Missionary Society, England, 1792. 

London Missionary Society, 1795. 

Scotch Missionary Society, 1796. 

London Religious Tract Society,, 1799. 

Church Missionary Society in England, 1800. 

Sunday Schools commenced in New York,. 1803. 

British and Foreign Bible Society,... 1804. 

Philadelphia Bible Society, 1808. 

London Jews' Society, 1809. 

American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions, 1810. 

Baptist Education Society of the Middle States, 1812. 

American Tract Society, Boston, 1813. 

Church Tract Society, England, 1813. 

Baptist Board of Foreign Missions, United States,. 1814. 

Massachusetts [now Northern] Baptist Education Society,.... 1814. 

American Education Society, 1815. 

American Bible Society, 1816. 

American Colonization Society,. 1817. 

United Foreign Missionary Society, United States,. 1817 

Philadelphia Sunday and Adult School Union, 1817. 

Dom. and For. Miss. Soc. of the Episcopal Church, in the U. S. 1820. 

American Methodist Missionary Society, 1820. 

American Sunday School Union, [instead of the Philadelphia 

Sunday and Adult School Union], 1824. 

Baptist General Tract Society, 1824 

American Tract Society, New York, 1825. 

Prison Discipline Society, 1825. 

American Home Missionary Society, 1826. 

American Society for Promotion of Temperance,. .'. 1826. 

Protestant Episcopal Education Society, 1826. 

American Baptist Home Mission Society, 1832, 



TABLE. 



309 




RECOMMENDATIONS. 



The Publishers of this work have received numerous commendations 
from Associations, Conventions, Clergymen and Teachers, in 
various sections of the country. The following Extracts are suf- 
ficient to show the estimation in which the work was held, pre- 
viously to its present enlargement, in matter and cuts, and beau- 
tified appearance from stereotype plates. Nearly twenty thousand 
copies have been already sold. 



From the Minutes of the Vermont State Conventun. 
" Your committee earnestly recommend Malcom's Bible Diction- 
ary, a new work, the worth of which every lover of the Bible will 
feel, and the low price of which places it within the reach of the 
poorest." 

From the Minutes of the Massachusetts State Convention. 
" Malcom's Bible Dictionary is a valuable and interesting book, 
almost indispensable to Sabbath School Teachers, the members ot 
Bible Classes, and to families generally." 

From the Minutes of the Boston Association. 

li Believing that the advantages of Sabbath School and Bible Clasa 
instruction depend greatly on the intelligence of their teachers, and 
that the extended circulation of Malcom's Bible Dictionary would 
conduce to their better qualification, 

" Resolved, That this work be recommended to the patronage of the 
friends of early religious instruction." 

From the Minutes of the Salem Association. 

" Feeling a lively interest in the prosperity of Sabbath Schools and 
Bible Classes, believing that their success greatly depends on the 
intelligence of their teachers, and that the general use of Malcom's 
Bible Dictionary would ensure their better qualification, 

" Resolved^ That the third edition, greatly improved, of this popular 
work, just issued from the press by Lincoln and Edmands, of Bos- 
ton, be recommended to the friends of early religious instruction." 

From the Minutes of the Charleston, S. C. Association. 
" Resolved, That, as the Providence of God seems to designate Sun- 
day Schools as one great and interesting means of promoting the 
interests of piety, the Association would renew their advice and 
solicitation to the churches in their favor. As an important help to 
furnish the minds both of teachers and scholars for this interesting 
exercise, we recommend Malcom's Bible Dictionary, lately pub- 
lished by our brethren in Boston, which may be obtained at a low 
rate of Brother Riley, in Charleston." 

From the Minutes of the Hartford Association. 

" Believing that the advantages of Sabbath School and Bible Class 
instruction depend greatly on the intelligence of their teachers, and 
that the extended circulation of Malcom's Bible Dictionary would 
conduce to their better qualification, 

"Resolved. That this work be recommended to the patronage of the 
friends of early instruction." 



RECOMMENDATIONS. 



From the Boston Recorder* 
" Tins work has been much needed for the higher classes in Sab- 
bath Schools, and especially their teachers ; for the members of 
Bible Classes ; and for those parents who wish to educate their 
children in that knowledge of the Bible which is appropriate to 
the present period, but who have not leisure to make use of larger 
works of the same kind. The work appears to be executed in a 
very faithful and satisfactory manner ; and we cheerfully recom- 
mend it to general use, as a small and convenient manual for every 
juvenile student of the English Bible. It is with feelings of no or- 
dinary pleasure, that we notice this publication. It is a neat vol- 
ume, ornamented with wood cuts. The definitions are brief, yet com- 
prehensive j simple, yet displaying, much research and ingenuity.' 

From the Christian Watchman. 
" All who for a moment recur to the fact, that large folios 
would not sufficiently elucidate the subjects which are brought 
to view in the Bible, will at once see the difficulty which the 
author must have felt, in compressing all the information which he 
has so judiciously condensed. If any should inquire, Why have 
we not more, the themes being so numerous ? let such an one look 
again, and, perhaps, in his surprise, he will exclaim, How is it, that, 
in a book so completely portable, we have so much ? To have 
made a larger book, as could have been done with far less labor than 
this cost, might have placed it beyond the reach of many, to whom 
it will now be useful. All who know the allusions to ancient cus- 
toms, and Jewish usages in Eastern countries, with which the Bible 
abounds, will discover something of the worth of this volume. It 
is very neatly printed on handsome type and fine paper, and will, 
we doubt not, meet, as it deserves, a ready sale." 

From the Illinois Western Pioneer. 

" In justice to the author, the publishers, and ourselves, we ought 
to have noticed this valuable work before. The author is the Rev 
Howard Malcom, pastor of the Federal street Baptist church, Bos- 
ton, a gentleman of talents and erudition, who has conferred several 
favors upon the religious community by revising and preparing for 
the press valuable works. We have no hesitation in affirming that, 
according to its size, it is the best production of the kind, and, upon 
a careful examination, will be found superior to several others in 
circulation. 

" The modem names of places, in most instances, are given, which 
adds greatly to such a work, while many facts related in profane his- 
tory duringthe lives of the personages mentioned in the Old and New 
Testaments, are interwoven. The pictures introduced add much to 
the usefulness of the work, in illustrating what could not have 
been made intelligible by language. We recommend this book to 
all our preachers who are unable to purchase larger works, but 
especially to every Sabbath School teacher. One copy at least ought 
to form a part of every Sabbath School library in our country." 

From the Columbian Star. 
" We know not where the same amount of useful knowledge can 
be found in a similar compass, and with similar attractions. It is 
the very kind of information with which the minds of the young 
should be early impressed, and that, too, which will stimulate a rea- 
sonable curiosity in making further advances in the knowledge of 



RECOMMENDATIONS. 

Scripture truth. We trust that the demand for the work will be lr\ 
some degree proportionate to its claims on public attention." 

From the [Hartford] Christian Secretary. 
" A work of this kind has been much needed, and will be highly 
acceptable to Sabbath School teachers, the larger classes in those 
schools, and to those who are engaged in Bible classes, either in 
giving or receiving instruction. The importance of conveying cor- 
rect information on all parts of the lesson which is the subject mat- 
ter of attention, and the difficulty of doing this without the 
employment of more time in preparation than is convenient to 
most teachers of Sunday Schools, is a fact to. which we believe 
every teacher will assent. We think that this book need only to be 
known, to command an extensive circulation." 

From the [Portland] Zion's Advocate. 

" A thinking reader of the inspired pages will often find himself 
in want of a species of knowledge which it was no part of the 
design of any of the sacred writers to communicate. To supply 
such information, is the design of this volume. 

" It seems to have been an object with the author, to avoid, on 
the one hand, whatever may be supposed interesting only to men 
of science, and, on the other, whatever might be readily learned 
from the Scriptures themselves. This Dictionary will be found a 
cheap, convenient, and instructive manual for teachers in Sabbath 
Schools, members of Bible Classes, and for all heads of families. , ' 

From the American Manufacturer. 
" The child, in reading the Bible, meets with many words, and 
allusions to ancient customs, which it is impossible for him to 
understand, and which considerably lessen the pleasure he would 
otherwise take in this exercise. By referring to this book, he finds 
all necessary explanations, and gains a far greater knowledge of 
the Bible, and consequent love for it, than he possibly could do by 
reading six times the amount of matter with these difficulties un- 
explained. It is particularly useful to youth, and will be found a 
valuable acquisition to adults." 

From the [Richmond] Religious Herald. 

"A work of this kind was not extant until this appeared ; and 
with what success the author has labored, may be judged from the 
ample patronage which his labors have met. 

" We should like to see it in general use in Virginia. Sabbath 
scholars and teachers, parents and youth, would find it a useful 
volume. It has been compiled and revised with much labor and 
care. 

" Brother Malcom has rendered an important service to the cause 
of mental and religious improvement in our land, in the preparation 
of this manual ; and our brethren and friends generally, will find it 
greatly to their advantage to possess it." 

From the Cincinnati American. 
" We have examined this work, and think it a valuable acqui- 
sition to the literature of the country. It contains a variety of 
plates, designed to illustrate the principal objects and scenes spoken 
of in the Bible. The definitions are given in the most clear and 
concise manner." 



VALUABLE WORKS 

PUBLISHED AND FOR SALE BT 

GOULD, KENDALL & LINCOLN, 

Publishers, Sooksellers # Stationers, 

59 WASHINGTON STEEET, 



ELEMENTS OF MORAL SCIENCE, 

BY FRANCIS WAYLAND, D. D. 

President of Brown University, and Professor of Moral Philosophy 

Twenty- Sixth Thousand. 

O* This work kas been extensively and favorably reviewed in the leading 
periodicals of the day, and has already been adopted as a class-book in most 
vf the collegiate, theological, and academical institutions of the country. 

From the Biblical Repository. 
" The work of Dr. Wayland has arisen gradually from the necessity 
of correcting the false principles and fallacious reasonings of Paley. It 
is a radical mistake, in the education of youth, to permit any book to be 
used by students as a text-book, which contains erroneous doctrines, 
especially when these are fundamental, and tend to vitiate the whole 
system of morals. We have been greatly pleased with the method 
which President Wayland has adopted ; he goes back to the simplest 
and most fundamental principles ; and, in the statement of his views, he 
unites perspicuity with conciseness and precision. In all the author's 
leading fundamental principles we entirely concur." 

From Rev. Wilbur Fisk, Pres. of the Wesley an University. 
44 1 have examined it with great satisfaction and interest. The work 
was greatly needed, and is well executed. Dr. Wayland Reserves the 
grateful acknowledgments and liberal patronage of the public. I need 
say nothing further to express my high estimate of the v/ork, than that 
we shall immediately adopt it as a text-book in our university." 

From Hon. James Kent, late Chancellor of New York. 
44 The work has been read by me attentively and thoroughly, and I 
think very highly of it. The author himself is one of the most estimable 
of men, and I do not know of any ethical treatise, in which our duties to 
God and to our fellow-men are laid down with more precision, simplic- 
ity, clearness, energy, and truth." 

From the Literary and Theological Review. 
" This is a new work on morals, for academic use, and we welcome 
it with much satisfaction. It is the result of several years' reflection and 
experience in teaching, on the part of its justly distinguished author ; 
and if it is not perfectly what we could wish, yet, in the most important 
respects, it supplies a want which has been extensively felt. It is, we 
think, substantially sound in its fundamental principles; and being com- 
prehensive and elementary in its plan, and adapted to the purposes of 
mstiuction, it will be gladly adopted by those who have for a long time 
been dissatisfied with the existing works of Paley" 

1 



THE ELEMENTS OF 

MORAL SCIENCE, ABRIDGED- 

ADAPTED TO THE USE OF SCHOOLS AND ACADEMIES., 

Twentieth Thousand. 
0^7* The attention of Teachers and School Committees is invited to this 
valuable work. It lias received the unqualified approbation of all who have 
examined it ; and it is believed to be admirably adapted to exert a wholesome 
influence on the minds of the young, and lead to the formation of correct 
moral principles. 

From the North- American Review. 

" Dr. Wayland has published an abridgment of his work, for the use 
of schools. Of this step we can hardly speak too highly. It is more than 
time that the study of moral philosophy should be introduced into all our 
institutions of education. We are happy to see the way so auspiciously 
opened for such an introduction. It has been ' not merely abridged, but 
also re-writtenS We cannot but regard the labor as well bestowed. 

From the Christian Witness. 
" We speak that we do know, when we express our high estimate of 
Dr. Wayland's ability in teaching Moral Philosophy, whether orally or 
by the book. Having listened to his instructions, in this interesting de- 
partment, we can attest how lofty are the principles, how exact and 
severe the argumentation, how appropriate and strong the illustrations 
which characterize his system and enforce it on the mind." 

From the Mercantile Journal. 
" The work of which this volume is an abridgment, is well known as 
one of the best and most complete works on Moral Philosophy extant — 
and is in a fair way of superseding Paley, as a text-book in our higher 
seminaries. The aulhor is well known as one of the most profound 
scholars of the age. That the study of Moral Science, a science which 
teaches goodness, should be a branch of education, not only in our col- 
leges, but in our schools and academies, we believe will not be denied. 
The abridgment of this work seems to us admirably calculated for the 
purpose, and we hope it will be extensively applied to the purposes for 
which it is intended." 

From the Christian Secretary. 
" So far as we have been able to examine the two works of Dr. Way- 
land, we must say, that we are quite as well pleased with the smaller 
as with the larger. The work, the author himself says, has been not 
merely abridged, it has been re-written. It is \rritten in a style well 
suited to the comprehension of youth. The illustrations are apt and 
striking. The work is divided into short chapters, as it should be, to 
suit for a class-book for the young." 

Ftom the Evening Gazette. 
" We hail the abridgment as admirably adapted to supply the defi- 
ciency which has long been felt in common school education, —the study 
of moral obligation. Let the child early be taught the relations it sustains 
to man and to its Maker, the first acquainting it with the duties owed to 
society, the second with the duties owed to God, and who can foretell 
how many a sad and disastrous overthrow of character will be prevent- 
ed, and how elevated and pure will be the sense of integrity and virtue ? " 

From the Daily Advocate. 
" It is a work of the highest and purest order of intellect. It is meta- 
physics reduced to practical common sense, and made subservient to 
Christianity. The original work has acquired for its profound and phil- 
osophic author, a large addition to his intellectual reputation, and the 
abridgment, which is entirely re-written, judiciously adapted to common 
understandings. It would be a valuable addition to our high schools.'* 



ELEMENTS OF POLITICAL ECONOMY. 

BY FRANCIS WAYLAND, D. D. 
Tenth Thousand. 

K7* This work is adopted as a text-book in many of our principal Colleges 
and lias an extensive sale. 

Extract from the Preface. 

11 His object has been to write a book, which any one who chooses 
may understand. He has, therefore, labored to exr ress the general prin- 
ciples in the plainest manner possible, and to illustrate them by cases 
with which every person is familiar. It has been to the author a source 
of regret, that the course of discussion in the following paces, has, 
unavoidably, led him over ground which has frequently been the arena 
of political controversy. In all such cases, he has endeavored to state 
what seemed to him to be truth, without fear, favor, or affection. He is 
conscious to himself of nc bias towards any party whatever, and he 
thinks that he who will read the whole work, will be convinced that he 
has been influenced by none." 

THE ELEMENTS OF 

POLITICAL ECONOMY ABRIDGED. 

ADAPTED TO THE USE OF SCHOOLS AND ACADEMIES. 

Fifth Thousand. 

The success which has attended the abridgment of " The Elements of 
Moral Science " has induced the author to prepare the following abridgment 
of M The Elements of Political Economy." In this case, as in the other, 
the work has been wholly re-written, and an attempt has been made to adapt 
it to the attainments of youth. 

11 The original work of the author, on Political Economy, has already 
been noticed on our pages ; and the present abridgment stands in no 
need of a recommendation from us. We may be permitted, however, 
to say, that both the rising and risen generations are deeply indebted to 
Dr. Wayland, for the skill and power he has put forth to bring a highly 
important subject distinctly before them, within such narrow limits. 
Though ' abridged for the use of academies,' it deserves to be introduced 
into every private family, and to be studied by every man who has an 
interest in the wealth and prosperity of his country. It is a subject little 
understood, even practically, by thousands, and ^till less understood 
theoretically. It is to be hoped, this will form a class-book, and be faith 
fully studied in our academies ; and that it will find its way into every 
family library ; not there to be shut up unread, but to afford rich material 
for thought and discussion in the family circle. It is fitted to enlarge the 
mind, to purify the judgment, to correct erroneous popular impressions, 
and assist every man in forming opinions of public measures, which will 
abide the test of time and experience." — Boston Recorder. 

" An abridgment of this elear, common sense work, designed for the 
•we of academies, is just published. We rejoice to see such treatises 
spreading among the people ; and we urge all who would be intelligent 
freemen, to read them.''' — New York Transcript. 

" We can say, with safety, that the topics are well selected and ar- 
ranged ; that the author's name is a guarantee for more than usual excel- 
lence. We wish it an extensive circulation." — New York Observer. 

" It is well adapted to high schools, and embraces the soundest system 
ef republican political economy of any treatise extant. " — Daily Advocate. 



THE CICERONIAN: ' 

OR THE 

PRUSSIAN METHOD OP- TEACHING 

THE 

LATIN LANGUAGE. 

ADAPTED TO THE USE OF AMERICAN SCHOOLS. 

BY B. SEARS. 

Thi s work has been recently published, and already introduced into several of the 
best schools in the country, and approved by all who have examined it. It is 
confidently commended to teachers as the beat work for commencing the study 
of the Latin language. 

From the Professors in Harvard University. 

We beg leave to observe, that we consider this book a very 
valuable addition to cur stock of elementary works. Its great 
merit is, that it renders the elementary instruction in Latin less, 
mechanical, by constantly calling the reasoning power of the 
pupil into action, and gives, from the beginning, a deeper insight 
into the very nature, principles, and laws not only of the Latin 
language, but of language in general. If the book required any 
other recommendation besides that of being the work of so thor- 
ough and experienced a scholar as Dr. Sears, it would be this, 
that the system illustrated in it is not a mere theorv, but has been 
practically tested by many able instructors in Germany. "We 
wish that the same trial may be made here. 

Verv respectfully yours, Charles Beck, 

Cambridge, Oct. 2, 1S44. C. C. Felton. 

From S. H. Taylor, Principal of Phillips* Academy, Andover. 

I have examined, with much pleasure and profit, the l Cicer< 
man,* prepared by Dr. Sears. It is admirably adapted to make 
thorough teachers and thorough pupils. It requires of the teacher 
a precise and intimate acquaintance with the minutiae of the 
Latin tongue, and necessarily induces in the pupil habits of close 
thought and nice discrimination. The plan of the work is excel 
lent, as it constantly calls the attention of the pupil to the peculiar 
construction and idioms of the language ; and, by a system of 
constant reviews, keeps the attention upon them till they are 
permanently fixed. The pupil who shall go through this book hi 
the manner pointed out in the plan of instruction, will know 
more of the Latin than most tlo who have read volumes. 

Andover, Oct. 3, 1844. S. IL Taylor. 

From the Messrs. Abbott, New York. 
Gentlemen : We have examined the ' Ciceronian/ and havd 
made some use of it in our institution. We intend to introduce 
it more fully, considering it, as we do, a very valuable aid in 
teaching the elements of the Latin tongue. 

Yours respectfully, Jacob Abbott, 
New York, Oct. S, 1S44. GorhaM D. Abbott. 

4 



MEMORIA TECMICA, 

Or, The Art of Abreviating those Studies which give the greatest 

Labor to the Memory ; including Numbers, Historical Dates, 

Geography, Astronomy, Gravities, frc; also Rules for 

Memorizing Technicalities, Nomenclatures, Proper Names, 

Prose, Poetry, and Topics in general. Embracing all 

the available Rules found in Mnemonics or Mnemotechny 

of Ancient and Modern Times. To which is 

added a perpetual Almanac for Two Thousand 

Years of Past Time and Time to Come. 

By LORENZO D. JOHNSON. 

THIRD EDITION, REVISED AND IMPROVED. 



NOTICES OF THE PRESS. 

This system of Mnemotechny. differing considerably from the ore intro- 
duced by Prof. Gouraud. is deigned u> furLish all tl;c rules for aiding the 
memory without lessening mental culture, which can be made available 
during a course of elementary srudy. The illustrations may be easily com- 
prehended by any person of ordinary mental capacity ; and the application 
of the principles upon which the system is based, must necessarily furnish 
an agreeable and useful exercise to the mind. It is well adapted to common 
6chool instruction, and may be made a very profitable study, if rightly 
pursued. It should be a source of gratification to every friend of literature, 
that these formulas appear without any effort to excite the marvellous, and 
enshroud its principles in mystery. Every page of the work gives evidence 
of a desire to present the laws of association distinctly and clearh', so as to 
enable the learner to establish such relations between things, events. &c, 
as will aid the memory. "We commend the book to teachers and all inter- 
ested in this important subject. — New York Teachers' Advocate. 

It is most emphatically an aid to the memory, and as such, is well adapted 
to common school instruction. We heartily commend it to public notice. 

Temperance Standard. 

We had the pleasure, a few days since, of attending a recitation of young 
ladies, in the Rev. Mr. Winslow's school, in this city, in Mnemonics. The 
readiness with which the young ladies could apply Mr. Johnson's system of 
Mnemonics to the memory of dates and numbers, through the long succes- 
sion of English Sovereigns, and in other connections proposed by gentlemen 
present, convinced us that the system affords decided facilities for aiding the 
memory. — New England Puritan. 

This is the title of a work on Mnemonics, prepared for the use of schools. 
The peculiar improvement of this system on that of Gray's ' Memoria Tech- 
nics,' consists in giving a numerical value to consonant sounds, which, by 
the aid of vowels, can be made into date words, conveying to the under- 
standing, as well as to the memory, a familiar idea, and thus making a two- 
fold impression to the retentive faculties. The question which the work 
presents is this : — Can words, which are the representatives of ideas, be 
more easily retained in the memory than figures ? The author has given 
opportunity to test this question in more than four thousand date words, 
which are placed opposite the same number of well selected facts, in the book 
before us — facts which must be useful to all lovers of useful knowledge. 

"We feel no hesitation in recommending this work to the deliberate 
attention of teachers, and the guardians of youth. We learn that it is 
received into several schools in Boston, and used as an auxiliary help to the 
studies now pursued by the pupils. — Boston Courier. 

The Memoria Technica is now studied in some of our best schools ; and 
the system taught in it appears to be much approved by those who hav« 
made trial of it. — Evening Traveller. 



YOUNG LADIES'" CLASS BOOK, 

A Selection of Lessons for Reading in Prose and Verse. 

BY EBBNEZER BAILER A. M. 

Late Principal of the Young Ladies' High School, Boston. 

Stereotype Edition 

From the Principals of the Public Schools for Females, Boston. 

" Gentlemen : — We have examined the Young Ladies* Class Bod 

with interest and pleasure ; with interest, because we havefeh the wai 

of a Reading Book expressly designed for the use of females ; and wi: 

pleasure* because we have found it well adapted to supply the deficienr 

In the selections for a Reader designed for boys, the eloquence of the b» 

the pulpit, and the forum may be laid under heavy contribution ; but sue 

selections, we conceive, are out of place in a book designed for female. 

We have been pleased, therefore, to observe T that in the Young Ladie 

Class Book such pieces are rare. The high-toned morality, the freedos 

from sectarianism, the taste, richness, and adaptation of the selection 

added to the neatness of its external appearance, must commend it to all 

while the practical teaeher will not fail to observe that diversity of style 

together with those peculiar points, the want of which, few, who hav 

not felt, know how to supply. Respectfully yours, 

Barnum Field, 
R. G. Parker, 
Abraham Andrews, 
Charles Fox." 
From the Principal of the Mount Vernon School, Boston. 
" I have examined with much interest the Young Ladies' Class Book 
by Mr. Bailey, and have been very highly pleased with its contents, i 
is my intention to introduce it into my own school ; as I regard it as nc 
only remarkably well fitted to answer its particular object as a book ( 
exercises in the art of elocution, but as calculated to have an influence 
upon the character and conduct, which will be in every respect favorable 

Jacob Abbott." 

From the Principal of Franklin Seminary, New Market, N. H. 
" I have examined with much satisfaction the Young Ladies' Class Book 
by Mr. Bailey, and consider it the best work of the kind extant. Such i 
work has long been a desideratum, and I am happy that it is so fully m 
in the present work ; the happy and judicious selections indicate tl 
chaste spirit which has so long- distinguished its author, both as a teachi 
and a scholar. I earnestly desire that it may have a universal patronag* 
I have selected it for my school, in preference to all others. 

Yours, with esteem, Amasa Buck. 

" The reading books prepared for academic use, are often unsuitabl 
for females. They contain pieces too masculine, too martial, too abstrac 
and erudite, and too little adapted to the delicacy of the female tastr 
We are glad, therefore, to perceive that an attempt has been made t 
supply the deficiency ; and we believe that the task has been faithfull 
and successfully accomplished. The selections are judicious an 
chaste ; and so far as they have any moral bearing, appear to be unex 
ceptionable."- - Education Reporter. 

"We were never so struck with the importance of having reading 
books for female schools, adapted particularly to that express purpose, ai 
while looking over the pages cf this selection. The eminent success oi 
the compiler in teaching this branch, to which we can personally bear 
testimony, is sufficient evidence of the character of the work, considered 
as a selection of lessons in elocution ; they are, in general, admirably 
adapted to cultivate the amiable and gentle traits of the female character 
as well as to elevate and improve the mind." — Annals of Education, 

a 



: 



lloman Antiquities 



ANCIENT MYTHOLOGY. 

BY O. K. DILLAWAY, A. M. 

Late Principal in the Boston Public Latin School. 

Illustrated by elegant Engravings. 

Sixth Edition, improved. 

(£7* This work is rapidly coming into use all over our country ; it is 
already introduced into most of our High Schools and Academies, and 
many of our Colleges. A new and beautiful edition has just been 
published. 

From the Boston "Education Reporter. 

" The want of a cheap volume, embracing a succinct account of an- 
cient customs, together with a view of classical mythology, ha3 long 
been felt. To the student of a language, some knowledge of the man- 
ners, habits, and religious feelings of the people whose language is 
studied is indispensably requisite. This knowledge is seldom to be 
obtained without tedious research or laborious investigation. Mr. Dil- 
laway's book seems to have been prepared with special reference to the 
wants of those who are just entering upon a classical career ; and we 
deem it but a simple act of justice to say, that it supplies the want, which, 
as we have before said, has long been felt. In a small duodecimo, of 
about one hundred and fifty pages, he concentrates the most valuable 
and interesting particulars relating to Roman antiquity ; together with 
as full an account of heathen mythology as is generally neecfed in our 
highest seminaries. A peculiar merit of this compilation, and one which 
will gain it admission into our highly respectable female seminaries, is 
the total absence of all allusion, even the most remote, to the disgusting 
obscenities of ancient mythology ; while, at the same time, nothing U 
omitted which a pure mind would feel interested to know. We recorn* 
mend the book as a valuable addition to the treatises in our schools and 
academies." 

From E. Bailey, Principal o/theYoung Ladies 1 High School, Boston. 

" Having used Dillaway^s Roman Antiquities and Ancient Mythology 
in my school for several years, I commend it to teachers with grea« 
confidence, as a valuable text-book on those interesting branches oi 
education. E. Bailey." 

From the American Traveller. 

"We well remember, in the days of our pupilage, how unpopular as 
a study was the volume of Roman Antiquities introduced in the acad- 
emic course. It wearied on account of its prolixity, filling a thick octa- 
vo, and was the prescribed task each afternoon for a long three months. 
It was reserved for one of our Boston instructors to apply the condens- 
ing apparatus to this mass of crudities, and so to modernize the antiquities 
of the old Romans, as to make a befitting abridgment for schools of the 
first order. Mr. Dillaway has presented such a compilation as must be 
interesting to lads, and become popular as a text-book. Historical facts 
are stated with great simplicity and clearness ; the most important points 
are seized upon, while trifling peculiarities are passed unnoticed." 



FIRST BOOK IN ASTRONOMY. 

Designed for the Use of Common Schools By Rev. J. L. Blake, D. D. 
Illustrated by Steel-Plate Engravings. 

From E, Hinckley, Professor of Mathematics in Maryland University. 

tx I am much indebted to you for a copy of the First Book in Astrono- 
my. It is a work of utility and merit, far superior to any other which I 
have seen. The author has selected his topics with great judgment, — 
arranged them in admirable order, — exhibited them in a style and man- 
ner at once tasteful and philosophical. Nothing seems wanting, — 
nothing redundant. It is truly a very beautiful and attractive book, 
calculated to afford both pleasure and profit to all who may enjoy the 
advantage of perusing it. E. Hinckley." 

From B. Field, Principal of the Hancock School, Boston. 

" I know of no other work on Astronomy so well calculated to interest 
and instruct young learners in this sublime science." 

From James F. Qould % A. M., Principal of the High School Jar Young 
Ladies, Baltimore, bid. 

" I shall introduce your First Book in Astronomy into my academy in 
September. I consider it decidedly superior to any elementary work of 
the kind I have ever seen. James F. Gould." 

From Isaac Foster, Instructor of Youth, Portland. 

11 1 have examined Blake's First Book in Astronomy, and am much 
pleased with it. A very happy selection of topics is presented in a man- 
ner which cannot fail to interest the learner, while the questions will 
assist him materially in fixing in the memory what ought to be retained. 
It leaves the most intricate parts of the subject for those who are able to 
master them, and brings before the young pupil only what can be made 
intelligible and interesting to him. Isaac Foster." 

" The illustrations, both pictorial and verbal, are admirably intelli- 
gible ; and the definitions are such as to be easily comprehended by 
juvenile scholars. The author has interwoven with his scientific 
instructions much interesting historical information, and contrived to 
dress his philosophy in a garb truly attractive." — N. Y. Daily Evening 
Journal. 

" We are free to say, that it is, in our opinion, decidedly the best work 
we have any knowledge of, on the sublime and interesting subject of 
Astronomy. The engravings are executed in a superior style, and the 
mechanical appearance of the book is extremely prepossessing. The 
knowledge imparted is in language at once chaste, elegant, and simple 
— adapted to the comprehension of those for whom it was designed, 
The subject matter is selected with great judgment, and evinces uncom- 
mon industry and research. We earnestly hope that parents and teach- 
ers will examine and jud^e for themselves, as we feel confident they 
will coincide with us in opinion. We only hope the circulation of the 
work will be commensurate with its merits." — Boston Evening Gazette, 

" This neat and prepossessing little volume comprehends all the requi- 
sites of a good book, — such a book as may safely be put into the hands 
of children with advantage. The diction is chaste and pure, the subject 
matter selected with great judgment, and the language is peculiarly 
adapted to the comprehension of the young mind. The introduction of 
it into our schools generally, will, we believe, essentially promote the 
cause of education." — Saco paper. 



A KEW EDITTON, ENLARGED. 

BLAKE'S NATURAL PHILOSOPHY- 

Being Conversations on ^Philosophy, with the addition of Explanatory' 
Notes, Questions for Examination, and a Dictionary of Philo- 
sophical Terms. With twenty-eight steel Engravings. 

By the Rev. J. L. BLAKE, D. D. 

(CT* Perhaps no work has contributed so much as this to excite a fond- 
ness for the study of Natural Philosophy in youthful mind3. The famil- 
iar comparisons with which it abounds, awaken interest, and rivet the 
attention of the pupil. It is introduced, with great success, into the 
public schools in Boston. 

From Rev J Adams, Pres. of Charleston College, S. C. 
" [ have been highly gratified with the perusal of your edition of Con- 
versations on Natural Philosophy. The Questions, Notes, and Expla- 
nations of Terms, are valuable additions to the work, and make this 
edition superior to any other with which I am acquainted. I shall, 
recommend it wherever I have an opportunity." 

" We avail ourselves of the opportunily furnished us by the publica- 
tion of a new edition of this deservedly popular work, to recommend it, 
not only to those instructors who may not alreadv have adopted it, but 
also generally to all readers who are desirous of obtaining information 
on the subjects on which it treats. By Questions arranged at the bottom 
of the pages, in which the collateral facts are arranged, he directs the 
attention of the learner to the principal topics. Mr. Blake has also added 
many Notes, which illustrate the passages to which they are appended, 
and the Dictionary of Philosophical Terms is a useful addition."— U, 
■S. Literary Gazette. 



PALEY'S NATURAL THEOLOGY. 

Illustrated by forty Plates, and Selections from the Notes of Dr. Paxton. 

With additional Notes, original and selected, for this edition ; 

With a Vocabulary of Scientific Terms. 

Edited by John Ware, M. D. 

" The work before us is one which deserves rather to be studied, than 
merely read. Indeed, wilhout diligent attention and study, neither the 
excellences of it can be fully discovered, nor its advantages realized. It 
is therefore gratifying to find it introduced, as a text-book, into the col- 
leges and literary institutions of our country. The edition before us is 
superior to any we have seen, and, we believe, superior to any that hai 
yet been published." — Spirit of the Pilgrims. 

" Perhaps no one of our author's works gives greater satisfaction to 
all classes of readers, the young and the old, the ignorant and the en« 
lightened. Indeed, we recollect no book in which the arguments for the 
existence and attributes of the Supreme Being, to be drawn from his 
works, are exhibited in a manner more attractive and more convincing." 
— Christian Examiner. 

" We hail the appearance of Paley's Theology with unfeigned pleas- 
ure. No man is an atheist after reading the work. Infidelity changes 
its character, and becomes downright and wilful opposition to the truth, 
after it has gone over the pages before us. We recommend it to all 
young men who may see this article, to procure a copy of it forthwith ; 
we advise parents to procure it for their sons and for their daughters " 
— Trumpet. 

9 



CLASSICAL STUDIES. 

ESSAYS ON ANCIENT LITERATURE AND ART. 

With the Biography and Correspondence of eminent Philologists. 

By Barn as Sears, President NewtoivTheol. Institution, 

B. B. Edwards, Prof. Andover Theol. Seminary, and 

C. C. Felton, Prof. Harvard University. 

" This elegant book is worthy of a more extended notice than oar 
limits at present will permit us to give it. Great labor and care have 
been bestowed upon its typographical execution, which does honor to 
the American press. It is one of the rare beauties of the pa<*e, that not 
a word is divided at the end of a line. The mechanical part of the work, 
however, is its least praise. It is unique in its character, — standing 
alone among the innumerable books of this book-making age. The 
authors well deserve the thanks of the cultivated and disciplined portion of 
the community, for the service which, by this publication, they have 
done to the cause of letters. Amid the tide of influences which are cal- 
culated to deteriorate our literature, and degrade the standard of taste 
and learning, we feel under great obligations to those who endeavor to 
restore the authority of acknowledged models, to set up barriers against 
the sweeping flood of worthless literature, which is spreading far and 
wide its evil results, and concerning which our chief consolation is, that 
it is likely to be as transitory as it is deleterious. The book is a plea tor 
classical learning. While its fine introduction and some of the essays 
directly avow this design, the correspondence of literary men which it 
contains, aims directly at the same result. The book is of a high order, 
and worthy of the attentive perusal of every scholar. It is a noble mon- 
ument to the taste, and judgment, and sound learning of the projectors, 
and will yield, we doubt not, a rich harvest of fame to themselves, and 
of benefit to our literature." — Christian Review, 

11 This volume is no common-place production. It is truly refreshing, 
when we are obliged, from week to week, to look through the mass of 
books which increases upon our table, many of which are extremely at- 
tenuated in thought arid jejune in style, to find something which carries 
us back to the pure and invigorating influence of the master minds of 
antiquity. The gentlemen who have produced this volume deserve the 
cordial thanks of the literary world." — New England Puritan. 

" This book will do good in our colleges. Every student will want a 
copy, and many will be stimulated by its perusal to a more vigorous and 
enthusiastic pursuit of that higher and more solid learning which alone 
deserves to be called ' classical.' The recent tendencies have been to 
the neglect of this, and we rejoice in this timely effort of minds so well 
qualified for such a work." — Re/lector. 

" The object of the accomplished gentlemen who have engaged in its 
preparation has been, to foster and extend among educated men, in this 
country, the already growing interest in classical studies. The design is 
a noble and generous one, and has been executed with a taste and good 
sense, that do honor both to the writers and the publishers. The book 
is one which deserves a place in the library of every educated man. To 
those now engaged in classical study it cannot fail to be highly useful, 
while to the more advanced scholar it would open new sources of interest 
and delight in the unforgotten pursuits of his earlier days." — Prov.Jour. 

" The work Jias been prepared by three gentlemen, connected with as 
many different institutions, who seem to have entered upo: and executed 
their labor, con amore. It is a beautiful example ofthe attractive force of 
elegant and useful literature, overcoming the repelling elements of what 
are presumed to be different creeds. And the product is worthy of the 
sacrifice, if there have been one. It is an elegant and valuable tribute to 
the value of classical learning. An introductory essay leaves a deep 
impression ofthe worth and use of classical studies." — Portland Mirror, 
10 



FOURTH EDITION. 

GESENIUS'S HEBREW GRAMMAR. 

Translated from the Eleventh German Edition. By T.J. Conant, P r oi 

of Hebrew and of Biblical Criticism and Interpretation in the 

Theol. Institution at Hamilton, N. Y. With a Course of 

Exercises in Hebrew Grammar, and a Hebrew 

Chrestomathy, prepared by the Translator. 

O 2 * Special reference has been had in the arrangement, illustrations, the 
addition of the Course of Exercises, the Chrestomathy, Sfc, to adapt it to the 
wants of those who may wish to pursue the study of Hebrew without the aid 
of a teacher. 

Prof. Stuart, in an article in the Biblical Repository, says: — "With 
such efforts, — such unremitted, unwearied, energetic efforts, — what 
are we to expect from such a man as Gesenius ? Has he talent, judg- 
ment, tact, as a philologist? Read his work on Isaiah; compare his 
Hebrew Grammar with the other grammars of the Hebrew which Ger- 
many has yet produced ; read and compare any twenty, or even ten 
articles on any of the difficult and important words in the Hebrew with 
the same in Buxtorff, Cocceius, Stockins, Eichhorn's Simonis, Winer, 
even (Parkhurst, I cannot once name), and then say whether Gesenius, 
as a Hebrew philologer. has talents, tact, and judgment. Nothing but 
rival feelings, or prejudice, or antipathy to his theological sentiments, 
can prevent a unity of answer." 

Fiom tlie Hon. Edward Everett. 

Gentlemen, — I am greatly indebted to you for a beautiful copy of 
the translation of Gesenius's Hebrew Grammar, by Prof. Conant. The 
reputation of the original is beyond the necessity of any testimonials, and 
1 doubt not, from the character of Professor Conant, that the translation 
deserves the favorable reception which I am happy to see it has met with. 
Your obliged friend and servant, Edward Everett. 

"The work of Gesenius requires no eulogy from us ; nor is this the 
place to enter into a detailed examination of his theoretical views, or 
practical exposition of the structure of the language ; but we concur with 
the translator in considering that, as a philosophical arrangement and 
explanation of its grammatical phenomena, it has no equal ; and that it 
is particularly distinguished by a chaste simplicity, and attractive clear- 
ness of method, — qualities which not only imply a correct taste and 
logical understanding, but evince, also, a thorough mastery of the subject. 
Professor Conant has rendered a substantial service to the cause of bib- 
lical learning, and done honor to the important denomination of which 
he is a member. Besides executing with excellent fidelity and good 
judgment his translation of the Grammar of the great Hebraist of the age, 
he has some useful additions of his own, and has, in numerous instances, 
corrected mistakes of a too common class, which, if they give little trou- 
ble to some readers, are the worst annoyanee to others, — that of errors 
in reference. He has also made additions of a very judicious as well as 
moral character, in a series of grammatical exereises. The typograph- 
ical execution is in the best style of the Cambridge university printers. 
The letter-press is beautiful, and all but immaculate." — N. A. Review. 

" Professor Conant has executed his task with great ability. He does 
not appear merely in the character of a translator ; the Chrestomathy and 
Exercises prepared by him form a very valuable addition to the work. 
The latter, especially, are prepared with great skill and ability, in such a 
way as to lead the student forward, step by step, making him thoroughly 
familiar with each point as he advances. One other point of extreme im- 
portance in such a work, we must not fail to notice, — the correctness ot 
the printing. And when we add that the typography, — at least the 
English part of it, — is as beautiful as it is correct, we have said as much 
as is necessary to recommend the book to all students of Hebrew." — 
Recorder. U 



(Slcgctnt iWtniatnre 1) 1 n m * . 

Gilt Edges and beautifully ornamented Covers. 

DAILY MANNA, 

For Christian Pilgrims. By Rev. Baron Stow. 

THE YOUNG COMMUNICANT. 

An Aid to the Right Understanding and Spiritual Improvement 
of the Lord's Supper. 

THE BIBLE AND THE CLOSET. 

Edited by Rev. J. 0. Choules. 

THE MABBIAdM BE^GrS 
Or How to make Home Happy. By J. A. James. 

LYRIC GEMS. 

A Collection of Sacred Poetry. Edited by Rev. S. F. Smith. 

THE CYPRESS WREATH. 

A Book of Consolation for those who Mourn. Edited by Rev. 
Rufus W. Griswold. 



For Young Christians. By J. Edwards and J. A. James. 

THE MOURNER'S CHAPLET. 

An Offering of Sympathy for Bereaved Friends. Selected from 
American Poets. Edited by John Keese. 

TTMB A©TiWS ©HBDOTOAKI. 
From the Writings of John Harris, D. D. 

THE FAMILY CIRCLE. 

Its Affections and Pleasures. Edited by H. A. Graves. 

THE FAMILY ALTAR. 

Or the Duty, Benefits, and Mode of Conducting Family Worship 

CRUDEN'S CONCORDANCE CONDENSED. 

A NEW AND COMPLETE 

CONCORDANCE OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES 

BY ALEXANDER CRUDEN. 

REVISED AND RE-EDITED 

BY THE REV. DAVID KING. 

The Concordance of Cruden stands unrivalled in the estimation of theologians 
of all denominations, and leaves nothing to be desired in this department of Bib- 
lical knowledge. The original work has always been incumbered with a Dic- 
tionary ; now rendered obsolete by modern Bible Dictionaries, embracing all 
recent discoveries and facts, not known in the days of Cruden. The omission of 
these parts, and the arranging of all references under the most obvious heads, 
with a slight abridgment of the quotations of Scripture texts, so condense the 
whole as to bring it within the compass of a moderate-sized octavo volume, and 
at a reduction of one third in price, which cannot fail to render this edition 
the most desirable of any now offered to ^he public. -7 



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